Something happened on Houston’s route to steamrolling through the 2019 World Series.

The Washington Nationals’ bats showed up. 

When they beat Garrit Cole, it was surprising. But once they accomplished that, beating Justin Verlander wasn’t nearly as much of a shocker.

This post-season, Verlander has been beatable. He came into last night’s Game 2 with a 1-2 record and very human 3.70 ERA in his post-season starts this year. Further out, he had lost his last four World Series decisions in his career.

Now it’s five. Washington crushed Houston last night 12-3.

The Nationals came into the seventh inning tied 2-2. Then they did something amazing.

Home run, walk, walk, sacrifice bunt, flyout, intentional walk, single, single, single, ground out. When it was done, the Nationals scored six runs, broke it open with an 8-2 lead, and decided the outcome of this game.

What was amazing wasn’t that they scored six runs in the inning. It’s that they scored six runs without a single strike out. They put the ball in play. They forced the Astros to make the plays, which they were not able to do. Alex Bregman made one error and botched another play that he should have made.

In a sport that has devolved into a game where it’s either striking out or hitting a home run, Washington is playing old school baseball. They are making contact.

The Nationals did everything right in the first two games. They crushed the Astros, in Houston. 

Game 3 in Washington on Friday is an absolutely must-win for Houston. 

It will be the first World Series game in Washington since 1933. The way they are playing, there will be only two this year.

*****

NO GAME TODAY.