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A22 sports
Thursday 24 OcTOber 2019
World Series

Continued from Page 17 Soto finished with three hits
and a stolen base. Three
Ryan Zimmerman, still full of days shy of his 21st birth-
sock at 35, also homered day, the wunderkind left
to back a resourceful Max fielder also snared Michael
Scherzer and boost the Brantley’s late try for a tying
wild-card Nationals in their hit. Relentless at the plate,
first World Series appear- he’s already become one
ance — tres bien for a fran- of those rare players — like
chise that began as the Springer — who seems to
Montreal Expos in 1969. turn pressure into produc-
“They waited a long time,” tion.
Nationals manager Dave How’s he do it? Better
Martinez said. launch angle? Improved
Otherworldly almost all sea- swing path?
son, Cole looked downright Uh, not really.
ordinary. Trea Turner singled “Sometimes I just put gum in
on the second pitch of the my mouth,” Soto said. “But
game and the Nationals most of the time, just take a
were off and running, end- deep breath and focus. It’s Houston Astros' George Springer reacts after hitting an RBI double during the eighth inning of
ing Cole’s 19-game win- just the pitcher and me.” Game 1 of the baseball World Series against the Washington Nationals Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, in
ning streak that stretched “Everybody around, I for- Houston.
back 25 starts to May. get about everybody Associated Press
“I didn’t have my A-game around. It’s just you and matchup of aces. September playoff run. in the fifth. Eaton hit a tie-
tonight,” Cole said. me,” he said, adding, “try Scherzer slipped in and out Leading the way was Soto, breaking single and Soto
Not what Cole or anyone to enjoy it.” The MVP when of trouble for five innings. whose eighth-inning hit in doubled with two outs for a
else at Minute Maid Park Houston won its first crown But every time the stadium the wild-card win over Mil- 5-2 advantage.
expected, especially after in 2017, Springer set a re- got rollicking, he found a waukee sent the Nationals After the game, Soto
he led the majors in strike- cord by connecting in his way to get out of jams. on their path. agreed to donate his home
outs, topped the AL in ERA fifth straight Series game to There’s a reason ol’ Max “He’s got kind of the ‘it’ run ball to the Hall of Fame
and finished second in the make it 5-3 in the seventh. has won three Cy Young factor,” Hinch said. “He’s in Cooperstown.
big leagues in wins to team- But reliever Daniel Hudson Awards. got the twitch. He’s got fast Zimmerman hit the first
mate Justin Verlander. threw a fastball past rookie “We got old and young hands. He’s got no fear.” World Series homer in Na-
Cole had breezed through Yordan Álvarez with the guys,” Scherzer said. Soto looked overmatched tionals history, connecting
the AL playoffs, too. bases loaded to end the in- Projected Game 4 start- when he fanned on Cole’s in the second. He was the
Yet it was a further testa- ning. In the eighth, Springer er Patrick Corbin threw a 99 mph heater in the first in- first player drafted by the
ment to an eternal truth put a charge into a drive scoreless sixth for the Na- ning. Turned out Soto was team for the 2005 season.
about baseball: It doesn’t to deep right-center, and tionals. Springer connect- just getting warmed up. “It’s been a long ride,” Zim-
matter what you do the it appeared as though he ed off Tanner Rainey for He justified his place in the merman said.
whole season if you don’t might’ve hit a tying, two- his 14th career postseason 4-spot, launching a leadoff Cole left after the seventh,
get it done in October. run homer. Springer took a home run before Hudson drive in the fourth to make getting a pat from Hinch
“I think he’s been so good couple of hops out of the fanned Álvarez on three it 2-all. He became the in the dugout. Watching
for so long that there builds batter’s box to watch, and pitches. fourth-youngest player to from the front row behind
this thought of invincibility had to settle for an RBI dou- Hudson retired José Al- homer in the Series, behind the plate was someone
and that it’s impossible to ble when the ball glanced tuve, and Sean Doolittle Andruw Jones, Miguel Ca- who also knows a lot about
beat him,” Astros manager off the glove of a leaping got Brantley on a lineout to brera and Mickey Mantle. pitching — Astros execu-
AJ Hinch said. “So when it Adam Eaton at the fence. strand Springer at second The ball was later retrieved tive, Texas great and Hall
happens it is a surprise to Heavily favored at the start, in the eighth. Doolittle then from the train tracks and of Famer Nolan Ryan, the
all of us because we’ve the 107-win Astros will try to closed for a save to give donated by Soto for a long Ryan Express himself.
watched for months this get even Wednesday night the Nationals their seventh ride to the Hall of Fame in Yuli Gurriel put Houston
guy completely dominate when Verlander faces Ste- straight victory and 17th in Cooperstown. ahead with a two-run dou-
the opposition.” phen Strasburg in another 19 games dating to their Washington took the lead ble in the first.q

MLB to speak with Astros over which makes Taubman decision

By RONALD BLUM were at work in their probe. appropriate" in the Houston God we got Osuna!" ac- than the Astros' response,
AP Baseball Writer "I think that there will be a clubhouse following the As- cording to SI, which said he which was initially to call
HOUSTON (AP) — Major conversation with the club tros' pennant-winning vic- made similar remarks sever- the SI report "misleading
League Baseball will speak at the end of the investi- tory over the New York Yan- al times, punctuating them and completely irrespon-
with the Astros to deter- gation and as is often the kees last weekend. Sports with a profanity. sible." The team said SI had
mine whether the commis- case, we'll make a decision Illustrated reported he re- "You want to make sure tried to "fabricate a story
sioner's office or the club working with the club as to peatedly yelled toward a you get all the facts," he where one does not ex-
will handle any decision fol- how who should handle group of female reporters said. "You want to be as ist" and maintained Taub-
lowing an investigation into it, as opposed to exactly about closer Roberto Osu- thorough as you possibly man's comments weren't
the conduct of Houston what the outcome is," Man- na, who was suspended for can, understand the whole directed at reporters.
assistant general manager fred said. "At the end of the 75 games last year for vio- situation. But once you get "I'm really concerned at this
Brandon Taubman. day, he is an Astros em- lating MLB's domestic vio- there, you want to get it point about the underlying
Commissioner Rob Man- ployee." lence policy before being behind you." substance of the situation
fred said before World Se- Taubman has apologized traded from Toronto to the Manfred said what oc- and what the atmosphere
ries Game 2 on Wednes- for using language that Astros. curred in the clubhouse was, how it came to be,"
day that MLB investigators was "unprofessional and in- Taubman shouted "Thank was of more concern to him Manfred said. q