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SPORTS Tuesday 29 OcTOber 2019

Verlander, Astros can clinch

World Series vs Nats in Game 6

By HOWARD FENDRICH "It's going to be business as Juan Soto said, "trying to
AP Sports Writer usual for him. He's going to do the same thing we did
WASHINGTON (AP) — set the tone for us," Cole before."
George Springer shook his said. "Hopefully we can Now comes Monday's
head at the mere mention back him up with some break in the best-of-seven
of Houston Astros team- runs, and play some great series, before Houston asks
mate Justin Verlander's 'D.'" Verlander to try to end the
past October trouble, the Cole gave up just one run World Series.
only pitcher in baseball his- in seven innings and struck If he can't, and there is a
tory to go 0-5 in the World out nine as the Astros Game 7 on Wednesday,
Series. grabbed a 3-2 series lead the Nationals will hope they
"We wouldn't be here Sunday night by beating can send out three-time
without him," Springer de- the NL wild-card Nationals Cy Young Award winner
clared. "I don't care what 7-1. Max Scherzer, who was Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander speaks during
individual stats say." Springer, Carlos Correa scratched just hours before a news conference before Game 5 of the baseball World Se-
ries against the Washington Nationals Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in
Then, as if to emphasize the and rookie Yordan Álva- Game 5 because of a neck Washington.
point, the Astros outfield- rez all delivered two-run problem that left him un- Associated Press
er repeated himself: "We homers — celebrated with able to lift his throwing arm.
wouldn't be here without elaborate handshakes and Scherzer said he was given "We've got J.V. on the the New York Yankees, the
him. So I'm glad that we're hearty hugs — for the team a cortisone shot and need- mound. A J.V. day is fun. same scenario played out:
handing the ball to him. that led the majors with 107 ed his wife's help just to get I've been watching that Up 3-1 in the series, Verland-
We'll see what happens." wins in the regular season. dressed. guy pitch for a lot of years," er got the start in Game 5,
Verlander will get a chance The hootin' and hollerin' "This is just a little thing that Astros reliever Joe Smith but he allowed four runs in
to make people forget his carried on in the mini-caf- turned into a big thing that said. "He ain't slowing the first inning of another
postseason struggles, in- eteria in the visiting club- turned into a giant thing," down." 4-1 loss. Yet again, Houston
cluding losses in win-and- house at Nationals Park. he said. "I'm just hoping that Maybe so. won the next game to bail
advance games in this It's really been rousing to be the doctors are right and Still, it's important to recall him out.
year's AL Division Series and on the road so far: Only two that something could be that two years ago, in an- Strasburg, meanwhile, truly
Championship Series, if he other times in baseball his- possible for Game 7." other Game 6, Verlander has been at his best this
can help Houston clinch a tory did the home team fail Might not matter, of course. could have sealed the Fall postseason, frequently rely-
second championship in to win any of the first five On the other hand, Ver- Classic against the Los An- ing on his seemingly unhit-
three years. The 36-year- games of a World Series. lander has not been pitch- geles Dodgers — and even table changeup or his right-
old right-hander will start The Nationals won the first ing up to the high standards had a sixth-inning lead, where-he-wants-it curve-
Game 6 at home against two games in Houston by he established while win- but Houston wound up los- ball as out pitches, rather
Stephen Strasburg and the a combined score of 17-7, ning 225 games, collecting ing 3-1. At least the Astros than the high-90s mph fast-
Washington Nationals on before the Astros switched 2011 AL Cy Young and MVP came back the next night ball he thrived with in ear-
Tuesday night. everything around and honors and earning eight to win Game 7 — and their lier times.
"He's prepared. He's ready took all three games in All-Star selections. first title. The 31-year-old righty en-
for this moment. We've Washington by a total tally After going 21-6 with a 2.58 Then, this October, Ver- ters Tuesday with a 4-0 re-
been communicating of 19-3. ERA and 300 Ks during the lander got the ball on short cord, 1.82 ERA, 40 strikeouts
back and forth throughout The Nationals entered the regular season, this is what rest for Game 4 of the ALDS and just two walks in five
the whole series on how we weekend having won 18 of he's done in five postsea- against the Tampa Bay appearances this month,
were going to make an ad- 20 games, which was the son starts in 2019: 1-3, 4.15 Rays, but again couldn't four as a starter.
justment to what we were best streak the team had ERA, 35 strikeouts, 11 walks. get the job done in a close- "We've got Justin Verlander
seeing and how we were posted since moving from That includes a 12-3 loss in out game, giving up three on the mound, and that
going to attack," said Ger- Montreal to Washington in Game 2, also while facing runs in the first inning and brings a lot of confidence
rit Cole, Verlander's rota- 2005. Then they went 0-3 at Strasburg. losing 4-1. Once again, to our clubhouse," Astros
tion-mate and chief AL Cy home. Five days later, Verlander though, Houston won the manager AJ Hinch said.
Young Award competition "We're just going back gets another shot at the next game to advance. "Their guy's pretty good,
this season. there," Nationals outfielder Nationals. And in the ALCS against too."q