FROM THE DUGOUT STEPS

[Old School]

Astros' chances of World Series comeback against Nationals

Jimmy Hascup, USA TODAY

How likely is it that the Houston Astros come back in the World Series against the Washington Nationals after losing the first two games at home?

History says ?not very.?

According to MLB.com, teams that have gone down 0-2 at home in the 2-3-2 format (Astros home for two, Nationals home for three, Astros home for two) have won the World Series just three of 25 times (12%). The last team to do it was the 1996 New York Yankees, who lost the first two against the Atlanta Braves then won four in a row.

Considered underdogs entering the series, the Nationals won Game 1 against the game?s hottest pitcher, Gerrit Cole, 5-4 then routed the Astros 12-3 in Game 2.

They will start Anibal Sanchez against Zack Greinke in Friday night?s Game 3. It will be the first time Washington has hosted a World Series game since 1933 when the Senators were in it.

 

[Old School]

Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

Nationals manager Dave Martinez said that Patrick Corbin, his Game 4 starter, won't be an option out of the bullpen in Game 3. He added, "That doesn't mean you won't see somebody else." Don't about you, but that sounds to me like Max Scherzer could appear if the Nats are in position to go for the kill

 

[Old School]

David Schoenfield
ESPN Senior Writer

Zack Greinke throws 31 pitches in the third inning -- and manages to escape with no runs scored, getting personal nemesis Asdrubal Cabrera to swing and miss on a beautiful slow 68-mph curveball. The Nats have left five runners on and the Astros four. Who will regret these missed oppportunties?

 

[Old School]

Bunting......the lost art form....

just cost Washington a tie game ......

 

[Old School]

MLB bans women for flashing Astros' Gerrit Cole during Game 5 of World Series

HOUSTON ? The two women who flashed their breasts from behind the backstop during Game 5 of the World Series have been banned from major league ballparks. Major League Baseball sent the women a letter shortly after their escapade Sunday night. Julia Rose and Lauren Summer identified themselves on social media.

 

[Old School]

President Trump met with boos at Game 5 of World Series

 

[Old School]

Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

If you homer off Stephen Strasburg in the World Series, don't you get to re-invent the home run trot? Alex Bregman sure tried to -- he held onto his lumber until after he rounded first base, finally dropping it at the feet of first base coach Don Kelly. Maybe he's showy, or maybe like Moses Serrano in Major League, Bregman just really likes his bats.


Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Adam Eaton hit an absolute missile just inside the right-field foul pole and suddenly we have a tied World Series Game 6 and a much quieter Minute Maid Park.

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Juan Soto crushed a home run and carried his own bat down to first base just like Alex Bregman did earlier in the game. The Nationals are suddenly on top, Minute Maid Park is suddenly quite quiet and the intensity of this series suddenly hit another level.

 

[Old School]

David Schoenfield
ESPN Senior Writer

We have another major umpiring controversy after Trea Turner was ruled out for running inside the baseline after Brad Peacock's throw hit him on a bang-bang play at first base. It may not be a bad call by the letter of the law, but it feels like a wrong call. First base is in fair territory (where is Turner supposed to run?) and you're rewarding Peacock for a bad throw. Instead of second and third and no outs, the Nationals have a runner on first with one out.

Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

MLB baseball chief Joe Torre said that the ruling on the Trea Turner play was a judgment call by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook. That's why Dave Martinez was not allowed to lodge a formal protest. Added that the delay "should never have gone that long."

 

[Old School]

William Weinbaum
ESPN

The Astros have an opportunity in Game 7 vs. the Nats Wed. to win their 1st championship-clinching game at home, a feat accomplished by the Houston Rockets vs. the NY Knicks for the 1994 NBA title and the Houston Oilers vs. the LA Chargers for the 1960 AFL crown. The Aeros beat the Winnipeg Jets in Houston to take the 1974 WHA Finals, but that was a four-game sweep. The Oilers, Aeros & Rockets all won their league titles the following year, too, with all 3 clinchers on the road.


trey wingo
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With the loss last night.. The Astros matched their season long home losing streak at home at 3. A loss tonight would be their longest home losing streak... all season


Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

The Astros' Alex Bregman apologized for carrying the bat to first base on his first inning home run. "That's not the way I was raised," he said


Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

Bat-carrying home run trots. Archaic rules snafus. A complete game in an elimination setting. Game 6 of the World Series had a little bit of everything, enough that we get a Game 7. Stephen Strasburg goes the distances, Nats beat the Astros 7-2. We do it one last time Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park for our third World Series Game 7 in four years. It never gets old





David Payne Purdum
@DavidPurdum

World Series Game 7: Nationals (Scherzer) +125 vs. Astros (Greinke) -135. Total 7.5 (-120 under).
via @SuperBookUSA 10h

 

[Old School]

But in major league history a road triumph is fairly common. Home teams are just 18-21 (.462) in winner-take-all Game 7s in the World Series, compared to the .546 winning percentage for all home games in the history of the Fall Classic. The last three World Series Game 7s were won by the road team.

https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2019/10/30/20940290/world-series-game-7-history-astros-nationals

 

[Old School]

David Schoenfield
ESPN Senior Writer

The Astros take a 1-0 lead in the second, but it could also be a big "What if ..." inning as they hit four balls over 100 mph off Max Scherzer yet come up with just the one run. George Springer ends the frame with a hard liner right to left fielder Juan Soto with runners at second and third. Scherzer's velo is fine, but the Astros are hitting him very hard so far
opcorn2
Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

From ESPN Stats & Info: The team that scores 1st is 25-14 in winner-take-all World Series games
opcorn2
Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Max Scherzer isn't fooling anyone in Game 7, but there's nobody warming up in the Washington bullpen. This has the feeling of a game that could get away from the Nats at any moment.
opcorn2opcorn2
Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Besides being a potential Hall of Famer as a pitcher, Zack Greinke is about as good as it gets on the mound defensively. The five-time Gold Glover has made four strong defensive plays so far in Game 7 to help keep the Nationals off the scoreboard
opcorn2opcorn2
Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

The energy at Minute Maid Park is as electric as it's been at any time this October. The Astros keep jabbing at Max Scherzer, with eight baserunners over four innings. According to baseballsavant.com, the Astros have a .393 expected batting average on the balls they've put into play; the Nats are at .320. Yet it remains 1-0. Houston has not been able to land the knockout punch against a Washington team that's come back time and again all month.

 

[Old School]

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

The Astros finally got the big hit they've been waiting for with runners in scoring position as Carlos Correa smokes a two-strike single off the glove of a diving Anthony Rendon to add to Houston's lead and fire up the crowd at Minute Maid Park even more.

:0corn

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Patrick Corbin is finally up in the Nationals bullpen, but with Zack Greinke cruising and Gerrit Cole waiting in the wings, is it already too late?

:0corn

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Max Scherzer's World Series Game 7 will come to an end after he allowed two runs and threw 103 pitches in five innings. It wasn't vintage Mad Max, but also a pretty incredible performance from a guy nobody was sure would even be able to pitch two days ago



:0corn

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Don't start the celebration just yet, Astros fans. Anthony Rendon unloaded on a low changeup over the center of the plate, cutting the Astros' lead to 2-1 and quickly bringing a sense of tension back to Minute Maid Park.

:0corn:0corn

Dan Mullen
ESPN.com

Game 7, where everything can change in the blink of the eye. Howie Kendrick bounced a two-run jack off the right-field foul pole and suddenly the Nationals are on top and Minue Maid Park is in stunned disbelief

:0corn

 

[Old School]

Bradford Doolittle
ESPN Staff Writer

The team that would not die will now live forever as the first Washington team to win the World Series since 1924. The Nationals late-inning magic carried them through October and through Game 7, as they beat the Astros 6-2 for the first championship in the history of the Expos/Nationals franchise. In one of the more unusual Fall Classics in recent memory, the home teams went 0 for 7 in the series.




FROM THE DUGOUT STEPS :SIB

 

[MadJack]

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