Those who gave the Nationals no chance of winning the first World Series game with Gerrit Cole on the mound, got a good look at what these Washington Nationals are made of. You have to be sure that many who were predicting the Nats quick demise in this World Series had a different outlook on this team the day after. The Nationals were on this grand stage because they are good, and they also looked energized in the first game after six days between the NLCS and the World Series. That break between the NLCS and Game 1 of the World Series was the most time that Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto had off the playing field since each was on the 10-day IL earlier in the season. Each player had little to no time off until the Nats clinched a Wild Card berth, and each got the feeling back in their legs with the week off between the NLCS and the World Series. 

For #HighHeat @MadDogUnleashed , here are the numbers:

The #Nationals are on a 19-3 run since mid-September & are 9-2 in the postseason while the Astros are 7-5 in the postseason. From May 24th and through today, the Nationals have won 83 games and the #Astros have won 81. #Nats pic.twitter.com/401uaeVxul

— Talk Nats ⚾ (@TalkNats2) October 23, 2019

For Soto, Game #2 was his final game as a 20-year-old. He would be turning 21 and fully legal as an adult for Game 3 back in Washington, D.C.  O course that meant Soto could partake in actually drinking champagne at the World Series celebration legally instead of carrying around an empty bottle.

The Washington Nationals pitched Stephen Strasburg in Game 2, and the Astros webt with the righty Justin Verlander. Manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo seeded the World Series rotation to where many thought Strasburg should have started the first game, and if he did, who knows how that game would have finished. This was another marquee matchup of top pitchers who have been cover boys on Sports Illustrated.

The Nationals lineup was exactly the same as it was last in Game 1 with Howie Kendrick at the DH, and Asdrubal Cabrera at second base.

As we reported at the time a source told us that the Nats took charter flights to Houston for these games to take all employees to one of these World Series games with one guest. From our source who went, “It was first class all the way. The Lerners know how to take care of people.” The fans who took advantage of the “Watch Parties” were treated to everything complimentary from tickets to parking to food and soft drinks.

Could D.C. be turning into a baseball town?

Washington Nationals at Houston Astros
Stadium:   Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
1st Pitch: 7:00 pm EDT
TV: MASN