Late October is one of my favorite times of the year. I love baseball, and the end of the season, while bittersweet, is the most exciting part of the season. This world series has been rather wacky, so here’s everything that has gone down so far.
Who’s playing?
The two teams competing this year are the Houston Astros from the American League and the Washington Nationals from the National League. Just a few years ago, the Astros were the joke of the league, finishing season after season with losing records. After a long rebuild of their fan system, they finally emerged as a serious contender, winning the 2017 World Series. They finished the regular season with the best record in baseball with 107 wins. On the other side, this is the Nationals’ first World Series appearance. Originally called the Montreal Expos, the Nationals moved to D.C. in 2005 and have been playing there ever since. The most recent Washington, D.C. team to win a championship was their hockey team, the Capitals, in 2018.
Games One and Two:
Since the Astros had the best record this season, they get home-field advantage, so the first two games took place in Houston. Game one of this series was a close one. The Nationals scored early on in the game, they were up 3-2 through the fifth inning. The Astros began making a comeback, scoring a run in the seventh and eighth innings. However, this wasn’t enough; the Nationals squeaked by, winning with a final score of 5-4. Game two was far less close. The Nationals won 12-3, hitting four home runs throughout the game. Teams usually never hit that many home runs in one game, although it is becoming increasingly more common as this era of baseball continues.
Games Three and Four:
These games took place in Washington and had a decidedly different tone. Most of the runs were scored by singles as opposed to home runs. These runs were scored early and the Astros won 4-1. Game four seemed to go the same way as Game three – the Astros were only up by 3 going into the seventh. Then, out of nowhere, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman hit a grand slam, doubling their score and closing the game at a score of 8-1.
Game Five:
Going into this game, the series is tied at two wins apiece. By the top of the third inning, the Astros were already up 2-0 by a two-run home run hit by Astros star Jose Altuve. Then, at the top of the fourth inning, Astros player Carlos Correa hit a two-run home run, making the score 4-0. After another RBI single and a two-run home run in the ninth inning, the Astros won 7-1. This means that they are winning in the best-of-seven contest 3-2.
With a win tonight, the Astros would win their second World Series championship in three years. Tonight is a must-win game for the Nationals, as pushing the Astros into a game seven is the only way for them to secure their first World Series championship. Will you be following along?
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