WASHINGTON, D.C. — Someone forgot to tell Jose Urquidy he was starting the biggest game on the biggest stage of his young career.
And Alex Bregman was sick of hearing about his postseason slump.
Urquidy turned in a five-inning shutout innings, Bregman hit a seventh-inning grand slam and the Houston Astros evened the World Series with an 8-1 win Saturday night over the Washington Nationals. The series is now tied 2-2 heading into Sunday's Game 5 showdown.
“We stopped the bleeding (Friday) night and we came out and played well today,” Bregman said after his 3-for-5, five RBI night. “We’re fired up. This is why you play the game. This is the World Series.”
Bregman, who entered the game with only one hit in the series, broke his slump with three hits and in doing so became the first third-baseman in World Series history to have a five-RBI game.
His big game came a night after the Nationals intentionally walked Michael Brantley in Game 3 to load the bases with Bregman stepping to the plate. That move paid off as he grounded out to end the inning.
Entering Game 4, Bregman was 1-for-13 in the series, his lone hit coming on a two-run home run in Game 2.
Asked how it felt to redeem himself Saturday, Bregman said, “This game is a game of failure, and you’re going to fail a lot more than you succeed. I think the feeling I had when I hit that (grand slam) was that I was pretty fired up. I wanted to help my team win a game and get the series back 2-2.”
Catcher Robinson Chirinos helped with that cause, too. For the second night, Chirinos homered—a two-run shot in the fourth inning that gave the Astros a 4-0 lead.
Then there was Urquidy, the 24-year-old rookie making his first World Series start, who admitted to having some pregame nerves.
If he was nervous, his performance certainly didn’t show.
Urquidy got the win after tossing five scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and struck out four. He’s now the second Mexican-born starting pitcher to win a World Series game (Fernando Valenzuela was the first). And he did it all with no fear of attacking a Nationals lineup that features power hitters like Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman.
“He was outstanding. He was incredible from the very beginning,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I thought he was calm. I thought he was in control of his stuff—his fastball had a little extra life to it, it’s had good life this postseason. And he just came up with big pitch after big pitch.”
Urquidy mixed his fastball, which touched the mid-90s, with a steady dose of offspeed pitches to keep batters guessing. In the second inning, he attacked Howie Kendrick with a steady dose of heat, ultimately striking him out on a 95 mph heater out of the zone. He followed that at bat up with a mix of sliders and changeups to Ryan Zimmerman and Victor Robles to end the inning.
In the fifth, Urquidy dared Zimmerman to hit a 95 mph fastball over the heart of the plate in a 3-2 count. He swung and missed.
Then in the sixth, Hinch made a puzzling move when he pulled Urquidy after five innings. It was a stretch in which Urquidy had retired nine straight batters. Hinch opted to go for the hard-throwing right-hander Josh James. The momentum almost immediately shifted.
James walked two of the three batters he faced and was pulled after 1/3 of an inning and 15 pitches with Rendon coming to the plate.
“I battle with that decision because going into the game you put it in your mind, ‘Go as long as he can, as long as he looks good,’” Hinch said. “I didn’t want to get greedy with him. … That inning actually played out how I feared his inning would. I didn’t want him to face the middle of the order again. I tried to be proactive and take him out.”
With James out, Hinch called in his lockdown reliever Will Harris.
Harris gave up a single to Rendon that ricocheted off his leg to first base and loaded the bases with Juan Soto coming to the plate. Soto was instrumental in helping the Nationals eke out a 5-4 win in Game 1 with a solo home run and two-run double.
Harris got Soto to ground out to first, but pinch hitter Gerardo Parra scored to put the Nationals on the board, 4-1. But as he’s done time and time again, Harris saved his manager—and the Astros. With two runners in scoring position, Harris got Howie Kendrick to strike out on a 90 mph cutter.
Hinch said at first he felt great about the decision to pull Urquidy, but his mood quickly shifted when James allowed those two walks.
“Here comes Harris again to the rescue,” Hinch said. “And we got out of it and our (bullpen) continued to put up good numbers—good zeros and good innings.”
Facing the potential of a 3-1 series deficit and the momentum on Washington’s side, Bregman and the Astros clearly wanted no part of letting the Nationals hang around.
In the seventh, Kyle Tucker and George Springer walked to lead off the inning. Following a fly out by Altuve, Michael Brantley hit a single to center field to load the bases. And in stepped Bregman who took a second-pitch fastball over the left-field wall.
“I felt like it was some insurance that our pitching staff deserved,” Bregman said. “They were fantastic all day.”
Much like Game 4, the Astros scored early on a Bregman single in the first inning. In the next at bat, Yuli Gurriel hit a hard ground ball down the third baseline to a diving Rendon. The Nationals third baseman couldn’t make a play and Brantley scored, giving Houston a 2-0 lead.
That was all the help Urquidy would need to calm the nerves in his first World Series start.
But Bregman decided it was time to break his slump—just for good measure.
Game 5
Houston's Gerrit Cole takes on Washington's Max Scherzer in a Game 1 rematch.
Cole had an uncharacteristically bad outing in the Game 1, 5-4, loss. He allowed five runs on eight hits in seven innings of work.
He hopes to rebound Sunday and give his team a 3-2 series lead heading back to Houston.
First pitch is 7:07 p.m.
Ninth Inning
BOTTOM 9
At Bats
Turner: Grounds into a force out to second to end the game. Astros win 8-1.
Dozier: Walks.
Pinch hitter: Brian Dozier pinch hits for Guerra.
Gomes: Strikes out on six pitches.
Robles: Flies out to left field.
Pitching change: Chris Devenski replaces Peacock.
TOP 9
Robinson Chrinios got his third extra-base hit in the past two games with a one-out double. He was thrown out at home by left fielder Juan Soto on a Marisnick single. To the bottom of the ninth we go.
Score: Houston 8, Washington 1
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base
At Bats
Alvarez: Flies out to foul territory in left field.
Pinch hitter: Yordan Alvarez pinch hits for Peacock.
Marisnick: Singles to left field; Chirinos thrown out at home by Soto.
Chirinos: Doubles down the left field line. That’s his third extra-base hit in the past two games.
Correa: Flies out in foul territory in right field.
Eighth Inning
BOTTOM 8
Despite an Altuve error and giving up a one-out walk, Peacock works around the trouble to end the inning unscathed. The Astros are three outs away from tying up this series.
Score: Houston 8, Washington 1
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 errors, 2 left on base
At Bats
Zimmerman: Flies out to right field.
Kendrick: Strikes out on an 84 mph slider out of the zone.
Soto: Walks on eight; Rendon to second.
Rendon: Reaches on an error by Altuve.
Eaton: Grounds out to third.
TOP 8
The Astros put a couple men on but can’t bring them home. No matter; they’ve got a seven-run lead going into the bottom of the eighth.
Score: Houston 8, Washington 1
0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base
At Bats
Gurriel: Flies out to center field to end the inning.
Bregman: Singles to left field; Altuve to second.
Brantley: Lines out on another hard-hit ball to center field.
Altuve: Singles to left-center field.
Springer: Strikes out on 95 mph fastball.
Pitching change: Javy Guerra replaces Wander Suero.
Seventh Inning
BOTTOM 7
Gurriel makes a great diving stop on a hard ground ball to first to save at least one run. With two on and two outs, Trea Turner smoked a ball down the first base line. Gurriel dove, made the stop and made another dive to the bag at first to just beat Turner to end the inning. The Astros can do no wrong right now.
Score: Houston 8, Washington 1
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base
At Bats
Turner: Grounds out to first. Gurriel dives, blocks the ball and dives into first to beat Turner to the bag to end the inning.
Pitching change: Brad Peacock replaces Hector Rondon.
Cabrera: Walks on seven pitches; Robles to second.
Pinch hitter: Asdrubal Cabrera pinch hits for Wander Suero.
Gomes: Lines out to left field.
Robles: Singles to center field.
Zimmerman: Lines out to right field.
Pitching change: Hector Rondon replaces Will Harris.
TOP 7
Alex Bregman go BOOM! Bregman, who entered the game 1-for-13 in the series found himself at the plate with the bases loaded. And did he pick a time to find his swing. Bregman took a 0-1 fastball at the bottom inside corner of the zone and sent it over the left field wall for a grand slam. It’s his second home run of the World Series—his first coming in Game 2—and his second hit of the night.
It couldn’t have come at a better time as the Nationals appeared to grab some momentum in the bottom of the sixth after Astros manager A.J. Hinch pulled starter Jose Urquirdy and the Washington offense found some life and put a run on the board to cut into Houston’s 4-1 lead.
Score: Houston 8, Washington 1
4 runs, 1 hits, 5 walks, 0 errors, 3 left on base
At Bats
Tucker: Strikes out on a cutter outside the zone ending the inning.
Pitching change: Wander Suero replaces Fernando Rodney.
Marisnick: Walks on five pitches—the Astros’ fifth walk of the inning.
Chirinos: Grounds into a fielder’s choice at third; Gurriel out, Correa to second.
Correa: Walks on six pitches; Gurriel to second.
Gurriel: Walks on six pitches.
Bregman: GRAND SLAM! Bregman crushes a 0-1 fastball to deep left field; Tucker scores, Springer scores, Brantley scores. Astros lead 8-1. That’s only Bregman’s third hit of the series—his second home run. He entered tonight's game going 1-for-13. What a time to find his swing.
Brantley: Singles to center field for his third hit of the night; Tucker to third, Springer to second.
Pitching change: Fernando Rodney replaces Rainey
Altuve: Flies out to right field.
Springer: Walks on six pitches, Tucker to second.
Tucker: Walks on five pitches.
Pitching change: Tanner Rainey replaces Patrick Corbin.
Pinch hitter: Kyle Tucker pinch hits for pitcher Will Harris.
Sixth Inning
BOTTOM 6
What a turn of events after Urquidy is pulled—and why was he pulled? Josh James came in and couldn’t find the strike zone—walking two batters on 15 pitches. Will Harris replaced James, who allowed an infield single off his leg to load the bases with Washington’s Juan Soto at the plate. Harris did work, though, and limited the damage: Soto grounded out, scoring pinch hitter Gerardo Parra from third, before Harris got Kendrick to strike out to end the inning. Things could have been so much worse.
Why pull Urquidy, who was dealing again?
Certainly a question for Hinch after the game.
Score: Houston 4, Washington 1
1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base
Kendrick: Strikes him out on a 90 mph cutter in the top corner of the zone to end the inning.
Soto: Grounds out to first, but Parra scores. Astros lead 4-1. Eaton to third, Rendon to second.
Rendon: Singles to first base after the ball ricochets off Harris’ leg to load the bases. Parra to third, Eaton to second.
Pitching change: Will Harris replaces Josh James, who had trouble finding the strike zone. James walked two of the three batters he faced. He threw 15 pitches, nine of which were out of the strike zone.
Eaton: Walks on six pitches.
Turner: Strikes out on a slider on the upper-half of the zone.
Parra: Walks on five pitches.
Pinch hitter: Gerardo Parra pinch hits for pitcher Patrick Corbin.
Pitching change: Josh James replaces Jose Urquidy.
Urquidy: 5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 4 strikeouts
That’s it for Urquidy’s night, and what a performance the 24-year-old rookie turned in: Five innings pitched, two hits, no runs and four strikeouts. The Astros couldn’t have asked for a better performance. It's an interesting move by manager A.J. Hinch. Why pull a pitcher who's mowing through the Nats' lineup? Josh James comes in relief.
TOP 6
Chrinios makes great contact again on a ball to center field but is robbed when Robles uses his speed to rob him of a hit. The Astros go down in order.
Score: Houston 4, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Marisnick: Strikes out to end the inning.
Chirinos: Flies out to left-center field. Robles makes another great catch.
Correa: Lines out to second.
—
Stand Up 2 Cancer
In between the fifth and sixth innings, everyone around Nationals Park joined together to raise awareness for the cancer-battling organization Stand Up To Cancer.
According to a tweet by Stand Up to Cancer, it was meant to be a "moment honoring those we Stand Up for." The placards say "I Stand Up For" and then fans were able to write in someone's name.
—
Fifth Inning
BOTTOM 5
Seriously, has anyone told Jose Urquidy this is Game 4 of the World Series, his team is down 2-1, fighting to stave off a 3-1 deficit—a game as close of a must-win game for the Astros as you can get without it actually being must-win.
Zimmerman worked a full count to start the inning and Urquidy struck him out on a 95 mph fastball over the middle of the plate, just daring him to hit it. Will that hurt him later? I don’t know, but the rookie has all the confidence in the world right now.
He's retired nine straight batters.
Score: Houston 4, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Gomes: Flies out to right field.
Robles: Flies out to right field. Urquidy jams him on an inside fastball.
Zimmerman: Strikes out on 95 mph fastball over the middle of the plate. Again, Urquidy daring the Nationals to hit it.
TOP 5
Brantley is robbed of his third hit of the game on a diving catch by Victor Robles in center field. Corbin gets Gurriel swinging on a slider in the dirt for his fourth strikeout of the game.
Score: Houston 4, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Gurriel: Strikes out on a slider in the dirt to end the inning.
Bregman: Grounds out to shortstop.
Brantley: Lines out to center field, robbed on a diving catch by Robles.
Fourth Inning
BOTTOM 4
Urquidy is wheeling and dealing. He’s not afraid to go right after Washington hitters—he got Soto to strike out on a 96 mph fastball at the letters. Of his 52 pitches, 37 have been strikes (71 percent).
Score: Houston 4, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Kendrick: Flies out to the warning track in right-center field to end the inning.
Soto: Strikes out on a 96 mph fastball at the letters—a pitch Urquidy was daring him to hit.
Rendon: Lines out to left field.
TOP 4
Holy Chirinos! For the second straight game Chirinos cranked a home run—this one a 404-foot two-run shot—that gives the Astros a 4-0 lead. That ball was smoked.
As KHOU baseball analyst Jeremy Booth points out: Urquidy's leash gets longer with every run the Astros score.
Score: Houston 4, Washington 0
2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base
At Bats
Altuve: Grounds out to the pitcher trying a squeeze bunt to score Marisnick from third to end the inning.
Springer: Grounds out to shortstop; Marisnick to third.
Marisnick steals second base.
Urquidy: Strikes out trying to bunt.
Marisnick: Singles on a first-pitch fastball to center field.
Chirinos: Cranks a two-run homer to left field, Correa scores. Astros lead 4-0. Make it back-to-back games for the catcher.
Correa: Walks on six pitches—his second walk of the game.
Third Inning
BOTTOM 3
Urquidy works around a leadoff double by Yan Gomes to end the Nationals’ first threat of the game. Correa made a great catch on a ball blooped to shallow left field to end the inning, a hit that would have surely scored Gomes.
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base
At Bats
Eaton: Hits a blooper to shallow left field that is snagged by Correa to end the inning.
Turner: Grounds out to first base; Gomes to third.
Patrick Corbin: Grounds out back to the pitcher trying to bunt; Gomes stays at second.
Yan Gomes: Hits a two-strike double to left field on a fastball up in the zone.
TOP 3
Corbin has settled down since the Astros two-run first inning. He works around a one-out double to Michael Brantley and is saved by Rendon at third base who snagged a laser from Altuve that was a sure double.
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Gurriel: Strikes out on a swooping slider down in the zone.
Bregman: Pops out to right field.
Brantley: Singles to center field on a 3-1 count. That’s two hits tonight and he’s now 7-for-14 in the World Series.
Altuve: Misses a sure double on a diving stop by Rendon at third base.
Second Inning
BOTTOM 2
Wow. Through two innings, the Astros couldn’t have asked for a better start from Urquidy. The dude is in control and doesn’t appear the big game is affecting him. He’s attacking hitters with a steady mix of fastballs that are touching 95 mph across the strike zone, sliders and a changeup. Urquidy attacked Howie Kendrick early with fastballs before backing off the heat and going after Zimmerman and Robles with sliders and changeups.
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Victor Robles: Strikes out on three pitches.
Ryan Zimmerman: Grounds out to third base.
Howie Kendrick: Chases a 95 mph fastball up and out of the zone. It’s Urquidy’s first strikeout of the World Series.
TOP 2
Not a whole lot of work there for Corbin, who only has to throw nine pitches to sit the Astros down in order. Interestingly, five of those came against Urquidy.
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
At Bats
Springer: Grounds out to shortstop to end the inning.
Urquidy: Grounds out to third base.
Marisnick: Grounds out to the pitcher.
First Inning
BOTTOM 1
After the Astros grab the early lead, rookie pitcher Jose Urquidy, making his first World Series start, makes quick work of the Nationals with a steady mix of sliders and fastballs. Of his 11 pitches, nine were strikes. On to the second inning we go.
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on base
At Bats
Juan Soto: Lines out to shortstop.
Anthony Rendon: Hits a line-drive single to left field.
Adam Eaton: Pops out in foul territory.
Trea Turner: Pops out to foul territory.
TOP 1
Make it two games in a row now the Astros have jumped on the Nationals early. After George Springer struck out on a questionable strike three on a full count, postseason hit man Jose Altuve got the offense started with his seventh hit of the World Series that sparked two runs on four straight hits. Even Alex Bregman contributed with an RBI single, his second hit of the series (he's now 2-for-14 with 3 RBI).
Score: Houston 2, Washington 0
2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base
At Bats
Robinson Chirinos: Grounds into an inning-ending double-play to third base.
Carlos Correa: Walks on seven pitches to load the bases. Bregman to third, Gurriel to second.
Yuli Gurriel: Singles to third base. Rendon makes a diving grab near the foul line but can’t make a play. Brantley scores, Bregman to second. Astros lead 2-0.
Alex Bregman: Singles on a first-pitch fastball, Altuve scores, Brantley to third. Astros lead 1-0.
Michael Brantley: Singles to center field on a slider on the outside of the plate. Altuve to second.
Jose Altuve: Singles to center field on a first-pitch fastball.
George Springer: Strikes out on a called strike three on a slider that looked a bit too inside.
Pregame
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Whatever demons the Houston Astros had in the first two games of the World Series they exorcised in Game 3. Lack of big hits? Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley and Robinson Chrinios came up big as the Astros plated four runs in a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.
A pitching staff that struggled to stop the Nationals offense? Starting pitcher Zack Greinke was masterful in working out of jams for 4 2/3 innings to preserve Houston's lead.
Even better, the Astros bullpen came in and tossed 4 1/3 innings of shutout baseball and never allowed the Nationals a chance back in the game. Sure, Washington threatened with baserunners and has a hefty heart of the lineup with Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman, but through and through the Astros' arms closed the door.
The Nationals stranded 12 runners on base and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
It came a game after Astros pitchers surrendered 10 runs in the final three innings of Game 2, a 12-3 loss that stunned fans and left many questioning if the heavily favored 'Stros could pull off their second championship in three years.
Now, Houston hopes to repeat Game 3 tonight to even up the series.
The Astros hand the ball to pitcher Jose Urquidy (pronounced urr-KEE-dee), a 24-year-old rookie making his first World Series start.
Here’s what you need to know about the game.
First Pitch
7:07 p.m. at Nationals Park.
How You Can Watch
T.V.: FS1
Radio: SportsTalk 790 AM
Online: Right here—follow our live blog with play-by-play and in-game analysis.
Starting Pitchers
Houston’s Jose Urquidy (0-0, 2.08 ERA postseason) vs. Washington’s Patrick Corbin (1-2, 6.91 ERA postseason)
This is Urquidy’s first World Series start and with it he becomes the third Mexican-born pitcher to start a World Series game in MLB history (the others are Jaime Garcia and Fernando Valenzuela).
Starting Lineups
Scenes from Outside Nationals Park
World Series Schedule
Game 1: Washington 5, Houston 4 (Washington leads 1-0)
Game 2: Washington 12, Houston 3 (Washington leads 2-0)
Game 3: Houston 4, Washington 1 (Washington leads 2-1)
Game 3 recap: Victory! Astros come to life with 4-1 win over Nationals
Game 4: Tonight, 7:07 p.m., Washington
Game 5: Sunday, 7:07 p.m., Washington
Game 6*: Tuesday, 7:07 p.m., Houston
Game 7*: Wednesday, 7:07 p.m., Houston
*If necessary
Noteworthy
- After his 2-for-5 performance in Game 3, Jose Altuve is batting .400 in the World Series. He’s now reached safely in 23 straight postseason games.
- Astros reliever Will Harris has inherited 10 baserunners this postseason. He’s stranded all 10. His 1.50 ERA during the regular season is the lowest single-season ERA by a reliever in team history.
- With four stolen bases in Game 3, the Astros set a franchise record for a postseason game for most stolen bases.
Okay, Hear Me Out
Not to get too far ahead here—there’s still Game 4 to be played—but if the Astros can win tonight, tie the series and turn their rotation over back to their two aces, Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander, the series takes a dramatic shift after they fell behind in that 0-2 hole. (Is that stating the obvious? Probably.)
Okay, anyway, let’s get through Game 4 first.
On This Day In Astros History
The Chicago White Sox beat the Astros, 1-0, to complete a four-game sweep in Houston’s first World Series appearance.
Scenes from Game 3
Fast Facts
Five things you might not know about:
- Jose Altuve, including how he often finds himself in the spotlight—but he doesn’t like being there.
- Gerrit Cole grew up cheering for this team. Hint: It wasn’t the Astros.
- George Springer isn’t the only superstar athlete in his family—just ask his wife and sisters.
- Alex Bregman and the reason behind why he wears #2.
- Carlos Correa and his proposal heard 'round the world.
- Yuli Gurriel and how he got his nickname.
- Yordan Alvarez and this accomplishment that surpassed Shoeless Joe Jackson.
- Justin Verlander and his journey to the Astros.
- Josh Reddick and his love for wrestling.
Extra Bases
Love the Astros and podcasts? Subscribe to Extra Bases with KHOU’s Jason Bristol and former major league scout Jeremy Booth who discuss all things Houston Astros and Major League Baseball.
Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts.
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