The Washington Nationals are back at the scene of the celebration of the team’s first World Series win in Game 7, back on October 30, 2019. It was exactly 3.62 years ago (1,322 days) from today when Howie Kendrick hit the go-ahead homer off of that right field foul pole that was the “Clang heard ’round the world.” Closer Daniel Hudson got the strikeout to end the game, and the party was on. This should give Nats’ fans hope that the team knows how to win. Think about all of the teams that have not won a World Series in the past 30-years. The list is long.
Since we did not have a game yesterday, we can celebrate today, the 11-year anniversary of the Bryce Harper, “That’s a clown question bro” response to a media person in Toronto.
The Nats made a conscious decision to skip rookie Jake Irvin‘s start today in what his manager, Dave Martinez, called a chance to limit his innings. Tonight the team will pitch Patrick Corbin followed by Josiah Gray tomorrow and MacKenzie Gore in Thursday’s finale.
Tonight will be the veteran, Corbin, against a Houston rookie, RHP Hunter Brown, to open this series.
“It was a good win. A good way to leave Atlanta. The boys played well.”
— manager Dave Martinez said after Sunday’s game
The Nats starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 4.54 for 18th best in MLB. The Nats are just 0.36 from 11th best in MLB in ERA.
Here is how they rank:
No. 5 Starter: Jake Irvin 5.81 ERA
No. 4 Starter: Patrick Corbin 4.89
No. 3 Starter: Trevor Williams 4.11
No. 2 Starter: MacKenzie Gore 4.04
No. 1 Starter: Josiah Gray 3.00
Here is your Baseball Savant Statcast link for the game.
Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros
Stadium: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
1st Pitch: 8:10 pm EDT
TV: MASN
Radio: 106.7 The Fan radio and via the MLB app
Line-up subject to change (without notice):
