World Series Game 4: Houston Astros 8-1 Washington Nationals – as it happened

Last modified: 04: 10 AM GMT+0

Here’s the complete report for Game 4 of the World Seires:

Final Thoughts

Email from Allan Barrett:

Great coverage. I’m monitoring from Batam, Indonesia. Astros feasting on baby sharks in DC. Go Astros.

At the very least, the Astros have guaranteed that the series will going back to Houston. Meanwhile, the Nationals have to know they’ve missed a golden opportunity. Everything now hinges on Game 5 where the Astros will have Gerrit Cole and the Nationals with have Max Scherzer. I would say that the Nationals have the edge because they will be playing at home but… well, it’s difficult to say that’s the case in this series. Honestly, given the fact that Urquidy ended up being Houston’s most efficient starter here, it’s hard to predict anything other than Game 5 should be incredible.

In other words, please join the Guardian tomorrow as we will liveblog this pivotal game (but then again, aren’t they all). That will do it for our Game 4 liveblog, however, thanks to everybody who has been following along with us, especially those who contributed!

So much for home field advantage. After losing the first two games of the series at home, the Houston Astros have come to Nationals Park and evened the series. Plus, they ensure that this World Series will at least go six games.

Astros win!

Astros 8-1 Nationals, FINAL

Trea Turner does by grounding out to short. The Houston Astros win!

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Brian Dozier is in the game to hit and all he has to be thinking is “please let me not be the last out in a World Series game.” He takes a strike. 0-1. The next pitch is outside. 1-1. Another pitch out the zone, this one too low. 2-1. Dozier souls the next one off. 2-2. Nationals are down to their final strike. He takes the next pitch for a ball, it’s way too tall. 3-2. That one’s a little lower, but still high. Dozier takes a walk. He will, in fact, not make the final out.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Yan Gomes gets into a 0-2 hole quickly, but he takes three balls off the plate to get ahead of the count before striking out swinging. The Astros just need one more out to secure a win.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Chris Devenski, I know that I haven’t typed that name before, is here to take care of the bottom of the 9th. Robles is up for Washington and he is out for Washington as he lines out to left. The Astros are two outs away.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Yordan Alvarez gets a chance to pinch-hit and he just fouls-out to end the top of the ninth. The Astros are three outs away from evening the World Series 2-2.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Jake Marisnick hits a single and Chirinos tries to go home on it but he’s thrown out at home! The remaining Nationals fans give that play a cheer. You take the pleasure when you can get them.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Next up is Chirinos, who takes two balls and then checks his swing on ball three. The trainers take a look at him, but it seems he’s fine. He, at least, stays in and watches a strike at the lower half of the plate. 3-1. On the next pitch he hits a double. Not a bad game for the Houston catcher, I think it’s safe to say.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 9th

Guerra is here for the Nationals, presumably to finish out the game unless he absolutely cannot get anybody out. Correa pops out to Zimmerman for the first out of the inning.

Email from Graham Tidswell:

Following your excellent score line Adelaide, SouthAustralia ...with thanks..GoGo ASTROS

These are the most fun games for a fan: you’re not only winning a World Series game but there’s close to zero stress thanks to the score.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 8th

Ryan Zimmerman takes two balls and then pops out to Springer in right. We’re at the ninth inning!

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 8th

Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging. The Nationals now have four outs to get seven runs. Assuming they can pitch a scoreless ninth. No biggie, right?

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 8th

Juan Soto, who has struggled since turning 21 yesterday, is at the plate here. Soto works a full count and then keeps fouling balls off to stay alive and he takes a walk on a very high pitch. That’s two on and one out now for the Nationals.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 8th

Peacock is out for the eighth. Eaton is up at the plate and he grounds out quickly. People ask me all the time (note: this is not true, people don’t ask me anything) about whether or not I have rooting interest while liveblogging. In the interest of media transparency, I will say that I’m mostly rooting for drama but I will be honest with you: In lopsided games I am 100% rooting for quick outs.

Rendon does not do that, he outruns a ground ball and makes it to first. It’s scored an error on Altuve.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 8th

Instead Gurriel lines out to, who else, Robles. To the bottom of the 8th!

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 8th

Bregman hits a ball to the outfield and all Soto can do is trap it. It’s two on with two out and the Astros have another decent shot at scoring some runs. Those RISP issues feel like forever ago for Houston.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 8th

And now Brantley is up and he hits one but it’s to Robles, whose defensive play continues to be one of the few positives that Nationals fans can take away from this game.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 8th

Altuve hits a one-out single into centerfield.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 8th

Javy Guerra will pitch the top of the 8th for the Nationals where he faces Springer, who strikes out for his fourth out of the game.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 7th

Brad Peacock is facing Trea Turner who grounds one sharply to first where Gurriel is just barely able to make the play at the plate to get the final out of the inning. The Astros snuff out a potential Nationals rally and they are six outs away from evening the World Series.

Roger Kirkby:

Nationals score 17 runs in the first 2 games, have 2 so far in the next 2. Don’t put all the blame on the mound dogs.

They should have saved some for later, as the old saying goes.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 7th

Asdrubal Cabrera is up to hit with one on and two out and he manages to work a walk off of Rendon who is showing why he is pitching in an 8-1 situation. Even the two outs he got were rather loud ones.

And A.J. Hinch wants to end this right here. He wants Brad Peacock to ensure that Washington can’t even sniff a comeback.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 7th

Credit Gomes for continuing to battle here despite his team’s odds, he works a 2-2 count and then just keeps fouling pitches off before lining out to Brantley for the second out.

Tanner Rainey & Fernando Rodney in that insane 7th inning:

38 pitches
14 strikes

You'll have to wade through a lot of World Series games to find a meaningful inning of relief featuring less strike-throwing than that!

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 27, 2019

And keep in mind one of those strikes went into the stands for a grand slam.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 7th

Robles hits a single off of Rondon. 7-run inning coming?

Astros 8-1 Nationals, bottom 7th

Wander Suero was pitching for the Nationals at the end of the inning, I guess my mind was him-ing. Hector Rondon is pitching for the Astros and he gets Zimmerman to line out to Springer.

@HunterFelt There was something in the air this night

— Ringo B (@TheRealRingo) October 27, 2019

Okay now it’s safe to say the Astros are going to even the World Series out 2-2.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

“The Moody’s Christmas: a three night event.” Wait, this is horrid looking Denis Leary comedy is a freaking mini-series and not like a made-for-TV movie, like it’s “Chernobyl” or something? How?

Sorry, sorry, there’s still a game going on. Tucker is back up and he strikes out. We will not see two grand slams in the same inning today.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

Marisnick takes a walk. The bases are re-loaded and Rodney’s night is over.

THOUGH I NEVER THOUGHT THE NATS COULD LOSE
THERE'S NO REGRET
IF I HAD TO LOSE THE GAME AGAIN
I WOULD, MY FRIEND FERNANDO

— Sexy Creeping Existential Dread (@catswithbats) October 27, 2019

Updated

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

Chirinos is up now, with two on and still just one out. Rodney throws two straight balls before getting him to ground out to third, a play that Rendon just barely completes. Finally there’s that second out.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

Well congrats to Martinez for saving his high-leverage relievers. Hopefully for him, there will be situations to use them at some point in the next few games. Rodney walks Correa… and this game was going at such a quick pace before this.

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

I guess I should say something to make sure everybody still keeps reading this liveblog. There is no clock in baseball? Theoretically, the Nationals could still win this one. It would take one of the most shocking single game comebacks in MLB history, but it’s possible.

Rodney is not helping to make this scenario likely, he walks Gurriel.

GRAND SLAM (Astros)

Astros 8-1 Nationals, top 7th

And Bregman golfs a low pitch from Rodney into the stands for a grand slam and this one is over!

Astros 4-1 Nationals, top 7th

I can’t overstate how great Brantley has been this series and he’s had some numbers against Rodney. Rodney’s first pitch is a ball. 1-0. Brantley fouls off the next pitch. 1-1. Brantley hits a solid single off of Rodney but somehow the Astros don’t score. The bases are loaded with just one out and here comes Bregman.

Astros 4-1 Nationals, top 7th

And we have a mound visit. I’m guessing “maybe a strike would be good here” is at least part of the conversation. One doesn’t come on Rainey’s first pitch to Altuve. 1-0. Altuve pops up on the next pitch and the runners have to hold. Rainey really needed that one.

Not that it will extend his night as Martinez wants Fernando Rodney here.

Astros 4-1 Nationals, top 7th

And Rainey falls behind Springer 3-1. Springer helps him out by fouling the next one off. 3-2. And there’s Ball Four. That walk felt inevitable. It’s two on and still nobody out. This could get ugly.

Astros 4-1 Nationals, top 7th

Tanner Rainey is now pitching for the Nationals and he’s facing Kyle Tucker, who is pinch-hitting for Houston. He falls behind 3-0 almost immediately. He gets a strike call on the next pitch but his fifth is another ball so Tucker takes his base. This is why Martinez was so hesitant to call upon his relievers.

It really feels like that inning was the game. The Nationals desperately needed to take advantage of that bases loaded, one out situation better than that. Now they’re still down three runs late and have to hope that they don’t fall behind any further and get another chance to rally.

Astros 4-1 Nationals, bottom 6th

It’s all down to Howie Kendrick here to see if he can really get the Nationals back in this thing. He gets ahead in the count 2-1 before taking a healthy cut and missing. 2-2. Huge, huge moment in this game right here.

AND HARRIS STRIKES HIM OUT! We’re heading to the seventh.

Groundout RBI (Nationals)

Astros 4-1 Nationals, bottom 6th

Soto hits a groundball to score Parra and move up the runners. The Astros will gladly exchange a run for the second out of the inning.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 6th

Will Harris pitches to Rendon who hoofs out an infield single to load the bases and things have gotten very, very interesting here.

José Urquidy is just the fourth rookie in the last 30 years to throw a scoreless start in the World Series. pic.twitter.com/FZO2eWqLeo

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 27, 2019

Just as we all predicted.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 6th

And we have a mound visit before James faces Eaton. Eaton takes a ball and then a strike before taking his first swing on James, just to foul off a changeup. 1-2. James’s next pitch swerves out of the zone and Eaton doesn’t fish. 2-2. He also doesn’t swing at the next pitch outside. 3-2. And the next pitch? That’s in right around the same spot. That’s two walks in the inning for James and that will do it for him. Now, we’re officially in the Bullpen part of the Game.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 6th

James gets Turner to strike out with the bat on his shoulders for the first out of the inning.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 6th

Josh James comes in for Urquidy who did his job and then some today. He will be facing the pitcher’s spot. It’s “Baby Shark” time in the Nationals as Gerardo Parra steps in to his unique walk-up song in place of Corbin. He takes three straight pitches out of the zone and then a strike right on the corner. Good pitch from James. His next pitch is too low and that’s a leadoff walk for the Nationals.

That’s ball four doo do do do do do

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 6th

Marisnick is up with nobody on and two outs. This might be Corbin’s last batter and he gets ahead of him quickly, putting him in a 1-2 count. The Nationals crowd gets up to encourage a strikeout, but Corbin wastes the next pitch by throwing it outside. Marisnick swings and fouls off the next pitch. Still 2-2 but he foul-tips the next one for a strikeout.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 6th

Chirinos, who hit a two-run home run the last time he was up, will be facing Corbin again. At least this time around the worst he could do is a solo homer. Corbin’s first two pitches to him are away but he throws one right down the heart of the plate to show that he isn’t pitching scared. On 2-1, Chirinos makes solid contact but Robles manages to track it down for the out. He’s had a great game in the outfield.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 6th

Patrick Corbin is back out for the 6th. He’s given them innings, but they haven’t been the cleanest of innings. He’s there to face Correa, who works a full count an then starts fouling off pitches to stay alive before lining out to second.

And here’s MLB’s “Stand Up To Cancer” moment, where people silently stand and display cards with the names of those they know who have been affected by cancer. It’s a genuinely moving tradition and it chokes me up every time.

Updated

Roger Kirkby:

The song the Nats DJ needs to put on is “Hit me with your rhythm stick” by Ian Dury and the blockheads. They need the runs like a constipated baboon.

Now there’s some baseball imagery for you.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 5th

Gomes flies out and Urquidy is through five. So much for The Bullpen Game.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 5th

Robles is up and takes three straight balls. After an automatic strike, a pitch right down the middle, Robles swings at the 3-1 pitch. That’s right at Springer for the second out.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 5th

It’s a 4-0 deficit, but it has to feel much greater for the Nationals who haven’t been able to do a single thing offensively today. Urquidy is still out there to start the fifth, this time around facing Ryan Zimmerman. He ahead 0-2 but his next two pitches are outside. 2-2. His next pitch is way up and out of the zone and almost hits Zimmerman. 3-2. Zimmerman fouls the next one off. Still 3-2. Urquidy gets him to swing and miss for his fourth strikeout of the night on the next pitch.

And is that The The’s “This Is The Day” playing as we come back from the commercial break. Huge props to whoever has been selecting the music cues throughout this series.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 5th

Gurriel, who seems to always be up in this series, is here and he takes two straight balls to start his latest at-bat. He takes a pitch for a strike, then another ball, before fouling the next pitch off right behind him. Full count. The crowd stands, sensing a possible inning-ending strikeout.

Which they get! We’re halfway through regulation here! Definitely a quicker pace than yesterday’s game so far.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 5th

Corbin’s first two pitches to Bregman are both balls but he gets him the ground to Turner at short. This is some quick work from Corbin, with a lot of help from his fielders.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 5th

Corbin is still in the game because Martinez really doesn’t trust his bullpen. That may end up being the story of the World Series. His first pitch to Brantley is a ball and his second really should be at least a base hit but Robles robs him in the outfield. A defensive clinic, this game.

Baseball: where the would-be Opener ends up becoming the most reliable starting pitcher of the series.

Don’t lie to me. You never heard of José Urquidy before this week, or even tonight, either.

— Bob Ryan (@GlobeBobRyan) October 27, 2019

Now he will be Ur-biquitous.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 4th

Age after youth. If Soto couldn’t do anything, it’s now in Kendrick’s hands. He takes two straight balls to start his at-bat and then gets great contact on a 2-0 offering but it’s just a long flyball. That’s the end of the fourth.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 4th

Juan Soto is up next and he takes a ball off the upper corner. 1-0. Soto fouls the next one off. 1-1. The next pitch is too high. 2-1. Soto’s next swing just gets a piece of the pitch. 2-2. He then takes a changeup that is quite outside. Full count. The crowd rises, hoping to get something/anything out of their young star.

But Soto strikes out.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, bottom 4th

Urquidy is back out there and if he can give his team four scoreless innings than he will put his team in a perfect position to steal a win on a day where they were supposed to be the ones on the wrong end of a pitching mismatch.

His first two pitches to Rendon are out of the zone. 2-0. Rendon fouls the next pitch off and then almost hits a double right out of Springer’s range but it’s foul. It’s 2-2. On the next pitch, Rendon gets a good swing but it’s for naught as it’s right to Brantley in the outfield.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Of course now the Nationals have to get Altuve out. He tries to rattled Altuve with a bunt but it’s not successful and he gets throw out at first. But the damage is done. The Nationals are now in a serious hole heading into the bottom of the 4th.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Springer takes a ball and then grounds out. Marisnick gets to third on the play but there’s now two outs.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Marisnick almost gets picked off at first before Corbin focuses on Springer. His first pitch is a strike and—on that—Marisnick takes second.

Updated

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Urquidy bunts one foul and strikes out, the smug American League fan commented.

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Marisnick hits a single to keep the line moving. Urquidy stays in the game to hit for himself, one has to assume he will be attempting a bunt.

Home run! (Astros)

Astros 4-0 Nationals, top 4th

Chirinos is up and he takes a ball and on the next pitch… OH MY STARS. He takes a mighty swing and the Astros have a four run lead!

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 4th

Corbin falls behind Correa 3-0 but Corbin gets him to hack on the next two pitches. Full count. On 3-2… Corbin’s pitch is just off the corner for a ball. Correa takes his base.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 3rd

Adam Eaton is here trying to salvage something in the inning for the Nationals. Instead, he takes a strike and then hits a spinning pop up that he can’t get to fall. Can’t ask for a better start if you’re an Astros fan.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 3rd

So, Gomes is at second with one out rather than at third with one out. A world of difference, scoring opportunity-wise. If Gomes is going to score here, it’s going to have to be on a hit and not an out. So, Turner is here looking for a chance. He falls behind 1-2 then fouls the next one off. The next pitch is out of the zone, it’s 2-2. Turner grounds out and Gomes gets to third, but there’s two out now.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 3rd

Patrick Corbin is batting for himself. One has to assume that he will be bunting here. He pops the first pitch up foul but the catcher can’t get to it. Still, not a good effort there for Corbin, who is down 0-1 in the count.

Corbin’s next bunt… does not advance the runner. (National League baseball everybody!)

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 3rd

Yan Gomes is up for the Nationals and he takes a strike. Oh are we doing the in-game manager interview with Houston’s AJ Hinch? It’s Game 4 of the World Series, HE HAS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO CARE ABOUT. Gomes fouls off the next pitch for a strike. Gomes keeps alive by fouling the next one off and then hits a solid double to lead things off.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 3rd

Yuli Gurriel takes a mighty hack at a pitch outside the zone. 0-1. Gurriel fouls the next pitch. 0-2. And swings and misses. End of inning. Corbin has found his groove, it looks like.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 3rd

Bregman is up with one on and one out but Corbin gets him to pop up to Kendrick on a 2-1 count.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 3rd

Brantley takes a strike and then three straight balls. Again, the discipline of these Houston hitters can’t be overlooked. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat he hits a single. There’s been a lot of solid contact off Corbin so far.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 3rd

Altuve is up and he hits a ball right to Rendon who makes a fantastic diving catch to rob him of a hit. Just ridiculous.

Email from Roger Kirkby:

Bar room quiz question (and answer) for ya. Who was the only base stealer to end a World Series? In game 7, bottom of the ninth with 2 outs? The answer Babe Ruth who got caught trying to steal second against the Cardinals in 1926. They lost the game 3-2. Bet he didn’t have that one on his highlight reel.

“I always said he was a bum” - Red Sox fans of the era

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 2nd

Victor Robles is up and gets into an 0-2 count in beyond a blink. He swings and misses on pitch 3 and that’s it. Bullpen game? What bullpen game?

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 2nd

Ryan Zimmerman grounds out. Urquidy’s been rather efficient so far.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 2nd

The venerable Howie Kendrick is up to face Urquidy and he does his part to get him to throw pitches, working a full count on a borderline checked swing before whiffing on the same pitch. That’s Urquidy’s first strikeout.

Email from Richard Woods:

I see Aroldis chapman has been named AL Reliever of the Year.

As A Blue Jays fan who this season has been obliged to look to the future and shield my eyes from the present, that at least gives me the chance to alert you to (or remind you of) one of the greatest at bats of the season. Chapman vs Vlady.

I will gladly post any videos of players taking Chapman deep.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 2nd

Okay I guess Urquidy is going to get a chance to have an at-bat thanks to Houston’s productive first inning. If he hits a home run here this is officially the most hilarious plate appearance in World Series history. He does at least make contact, grounding out to third. He does do better than Springer who grounds out to Turner on the very first pitch. That was a much better inning for Corbin than the first.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 2nd

Marisnick grounds out right back to Corbin for the first out of the second.

Email from Debarr:

Heading: Corbin

They need to get him out of there. The same thing is happening tonight that happened last night and they left Sanchez in there way too long they are going to lose this game with Corbin if they leave him in there any longer. What’s wrong with Martinez that he’s leaving these lousy pitchers in there when they’re not doing the job?

Well, to be fair, there’s a difference between leaving a pitcher too long and pulling them in the very first inning. And he did get the double-play to get out of the inning, that’s a positive sign. But he will get a shorter leash than Sanchez, that’s 100% certain.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 1st

Juan Soto is up with a runner on first and the crowd chants his name. Soto smokes a ball but Bregman is literally right there to steal a single from the rising star.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 1st

Anthony Rendon smokes a single and the Nationals have their first baserunner.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 1st

Adam Eaton pops out in foul ground as well.

@HunterFelt Is the WS being shown in England?

— Ringo B (@TheRealRingo) October 27, 2019

I want to say that it’s on BT Sport in the UK? I could be wrong about this.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, bottom 1st

Jose Urquidy is out now, pitching to Washington’s Trea Turner, whom he gets to foul out to first.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 1st

Robinson Chirinos swings through Corbin’s first pitch to him. He was looking to drive multiple runs home right there. Corbin’s next pitch is out of the zone. 1-1. As is the next. 2-1. The Nationals fans are getting restless now, this was the exact opposite of how they wanted this to start.

And Chirinos hits into a double-play and Washington desperately needed that. He escapes without further damage.

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 1st

This is right around the time when it should be noted that there’s a suspicion around the league that the Astros steal signs. Given how well they’re seeing Corbin in this first inning, you can see why. The truth is, that part of it is just that they have a dangerous lineup (even if they haven’t shown it for stretches during this postseason).

Up next is Carlos Correa who works a full count, fouls the next pitch off, and then takes ball four. The bases are loaded with still just one out.

Run scoring single! (Astros)

Astros 2-0 Nationals, top 1st

Gurriel scorches an infield single that Rendon can’t do anything with and Brantley scores from third. Runners on first and second, still just one out for the Astros.

Run scoring single! (Astros)

Astros 1-0 Nationals, top 1st

Bregman swings and hits a single that scores Altuve. Brantley gets to third base. We have runners on first-and-third with one out.

Astros 0-0 Nationals, top 1st

Corbin’s first pitch to Michael Brantley is a ball and the second, well the second is a slider in his wheelhouse and he strokes a single into the outfield. The Astros have runners on first and second and just one out. Alex Bregman is at the plate.

Updated

Astros 0-0 Nationals, top 1st

Jose Altuve is up there and he decides that patience might not be a virtue as he hits a single off the first pitch he sees.

Astros 0-0 Nationals, top 1st

Springer works a full count against Corbin, which… there’s been a whole lot of those this series. Springer fouls the 3-2 pitch off. And then he does the same with the next 3-2 pitch. This is exactly what the Astros lineup needs to do with Corbin: make him throw a zillion pitches and get into the soft underbelly of the Nationals bullpen.

This time around, Corbin wins the battle as he gets a strikeout to start the inning.

First pitch

Astros 0-0 Nationals, top 1st

Patrick Corbin’s first pitch to George Springer is inside for a ball. Game 4 has begun!

The FOX intros are leaning heavy into the “nobody can win at home” narrative and, I won’t lie, it would be hilarious if the home team lost every game here.

Email from Jonng Inbrasil:

Hi from Brasil (this is the correct spelling). Am lucky here to be able to switch between Nationals/Astros as well as Notre Dame/Michigan college football and Houston/New Orleans NBA...so am looking forward to reading you tomorrow. Have a good night.

I personally am missing Tacko Fall’s potential NBA debut in the Celtics/Knicks game tonight, so I completely understand.

That’s a big reason why we do these liveblogs. There’s a lot of sports going on right now, it’s hard to watch them all.

National anthem

The U.S. Army Brass Quintet gives an instrumental rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and, as Jimi Hendrix once proved, instrumental versions of the anthem are always refreshing to hear. 8/10

Fox has to be big Astros fans tonite. Trust me been there done that. Wud make deal with devil to get series to 2-2.

— Ed Goren (@edgosports) October 26, 2019

Hey, as someone who will get more work if this series goes Game 6. I understand.

Washington Nationals starting lineup

Kurt Suzuki, who has had a brutal time behind the plate as far as getting dinged up, is out of the lineup with Yan Gomes taking his place.

1. Trea Turner, SS

2. Adam Eaton, RF

3. Anthony Rendon, 3B

4. Juan Soto, LF

5. Howie Kendrick, 2B

6. Ryan Zimmerman, 1B

7. Victor Robles, CF

8. Yan Gomes, C

9. Patrick Corbin, LHP

The Fox booth is predicitng that Stephen Strasburg could be available out of the Nationals bullpen tonight if they need him. It would be interesting to see.

Houston Astros starting lineup

I am uh not sure that Urquidy is going to get a chance to have an at-bat, but this is at least how the Houston lineup looks on paper.

1. George Springer, RF

2. Jose Altuve, 2B

3. Michael Brantley LF

4. Alex Bregman, 3B

5. Yuli Gurriel, 1B

6. Carlos Correa, SS

7. Robinson Chirinos, C

8. Jake Marisnick, CF

9. Jose Urquidy, RHP

Predictions

I guess this would make a great way to segue into predictions. Okay, I previously predicted that the Astros would win this in six games. For that to happen, they pretty much have to win tonight. However, I just don’t see how this matchup is favorable for Houston unless Corbin implodes. Now, granted, that’s entirely possible but it’s a depressing thing to predict. So, sigh, Nationals 7, Astros 5 for a final. I don’t feel *great* about this, mind you. Your thoughts? Send them via email to (hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or via Twitter (to @HunterFelt) and we’ll post them here.

@HunterFelt What a day! England reach the rugby world cup final ,Chelsea won and our American scored three ,and the Astros come back to level up the world series

— Ringo B (@TheRealRingo) October 26, 2019

Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. We’ve got a long way to go.

Since we still have some time to analyze the previous game before the start of the next, there’s one last time to go over the biggest question from yesterday’s game: did Dave Martinez screw up by letting starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez hit for himself in a crucial spot in Game 3?

With the tying run at third, and one out, Martinez let Sanchez bat for himself. He ended up striking out on a foul bunt. The Nationals would never score again. It’s hard not to second guess the strategy especially since Sanchez would go on to immediately allow another run. It was, however, less of a straight up blunder than a perhaps necessary gamble. As Michael Baumann points out in an article for the Ringer, it’s a direct consequence of the manager not having trust in his objectively bad bullpen. In truth: it might not have mattered.

Preamble

If it feels like there hasn’t been much turnaround between Games 3 and 4, well it’s because there hasn’t been. Last night’s game didn’t end until after midnight on the East Coast and that was without going into extra innings. I hope everybody has extra caffeine available for Game 4 because every indication is that we will have something of a long one ahead.

Jose Urquidy will be starting for the Houston Astros, fresh off their 4-1 win in Game 3. While that’s what he’s listed at in the media guides, there’s every reason to believe that he will be acting more like an Opener, going just a few innings before turning the game over to a stream of Astros relievers.

Very important for tonight's game with the Astros expected to roll out their pen behind José Urquidy. Reliever pitch counts from Game 3:

Josh James — 8
Brad Peacock — 21
Will Harris — 25
Joe Smith — 18
Roberto Osuna — 16

— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) October 26, 2019

So, you would think that having to rely on their bullpen would give Houston the disadvantage here. Well, perhaps. It all depends on how much depth Patrick Corbin can give the Nationals. Corbin himself has been working out of the bullpen during this postseason, he made an appearance back in Game 1, and there’s a very real possibility that he won’t be able to give his team more than a handful of effective innings. If Corbin can’t go long, well, the Nationals bullpen remains their Achilles heel.

All this means is that the Astros have a very good chance at evening out the World Series tonight, with Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander ready to go. If they lose? Well, being down 3-1, with another game left on the road, is not an ideal situation for any team, regardless of how good they have been all season long. This is a pivotal game, you could say, but hey they’re all pivotal games in the World Series.

As always, you can contribute to today’s liveblog. Send your thoughts, jokes, rants and other assorted baseball-related takes to us either via email (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or via Twitter (to @HunterFelt), we’ll incorporate them throughout the next innings (and potentially beyond). It’s Game 4 of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. First pitch is at 8:08pm EST, but we’ll be back with assorted updates before then.

Hunter will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Game 3 was decided:

Contributor

Hunter Felt

The GuardianTramp

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