Robinson Chirinos hit a home run, and Michael Brantley drove in a pair of runs as the visiting Houston Astros made their presence known in Game 3 of the World Series with a 4-1 victory Friday over the Washington Nationals.
The Astros’ first victory in the matchup, and first victory in the World Series since winning the deciding Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017, came after the Nationals won the first two games at Houston. Game 4 is Saturday night in Washington.
Astros starter Zack Greinke lasted just 4 2/3 innings while giving up seven hits and three walks, but the right-hander allowed just one run, on an RBI triple from Victor Robles.
Astros right-hander Josh James (2-0) earned the victory by getting a strikeout with two aboard in the fifth inning, while Roberto Osuna pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his second save of the postseason.
Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez (1-1) — making his first appearance since coming four outs away from a no-hitter in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals — gave up four runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
The Nationals saw their eight-game postseason winning streak come to an end. Just three of those eight games were played in the nation’s capital.
The Astros can even the series Saturday night, although they have not named a starter and are expected to extend their bullpen over nine innings. The Nationals will send left-hander Patrick Corbin (1-2, 6.91 ERA) to the mound in Game 4.
Houston took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a bloop RBI single to left field from Josh Reddick, scoring Carlos Correa, who had doubled. One inning later, Brantley added an infield RBI single on a comebacker that hit off Sanchez.
The Nationals cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning on Robles’ triple to left field.
But Brantley came back in the fifth with a ground-ball single to right field to score Jose Altuve, who doubled. In one game, Brantley matched his RBI total from the previous 13 games of the postseason.
Chirinos’ home run off the netting of the left-field foul pole came in the sixth inning and was his second of the playoffs.
Game 3 was the first World Series game contested in Washington D.C. since the Washington Senators played host to the New York Giants in 1933.
–Field Level Media
