50-1: These were the odds given to the Washington Nationals in May to win the World Series after an abysmal 19-31 start, the largest underdog to enter a World Series since the Colorado Rockies in 2007, the oldest team in baseball, losing the best player in free agency to a division rival. These were all factors that led many baseball experts to think the Nationals were gonna be at home watching another postseason. 

This wasn’t the case for the Nats, however. Howie Kendrick, Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer will be names that grandfathers and grandmothers will be telling their grandchildren after asking about their favorite baseball memory. The Nationals winning the World Series is an amazing feat considering that they had a 1.25% of making the playoffs in May. 

Starting things off strong, Washington took game 1 with a close 5-4 victory against Houston. With a slow start within the starting innings, Houston had a minor lead of 2-0. In the 4th inning, the young superstar Soto scored a crushing home run that made the score 2-2. He was not done there. At the top of the 5th, bases nearly loaded with Adam Eaton on first & Rendon on second, Soto scored yet another home run to give nats the lead. After some quick runs were thrown around, the Nats took game 1 with confidence. 

Game 2 went even better. Washington destroyed the competition 12-3. The game was anticipated to be a massive battle-of-the-pitchers, though ultimately ended with a lackluster performance by Justin Verlander, his 6th World Series loss. Kurt Suzuki was the spark that lit the fire that lead to 5 more runs in the seventh inning. At that point it should have been mercy rule, with the Nationals taking an impressive curly W in game 2.

“I believe the Nats have a good chance to sweep because of the Home Field Advantage they now have,” thought senior Cooper Lemley about the Nationals potential sweep. 

The Series returned to Washington with renewed enthusiasm. For the first time in history the Nationals were up 2-0 on the best team in baseball. Game Three started out more slowly with Astros pitcher Zach Grenkie pitching 5 ⅓ innings only allowing one run in a 4-1 Astros win.

The series now 2-1 with big money summer acquisition Patrick Corbin taking the mound looking to send the Series to 3-1. That didn’t go according to plan, as Corbin felt the pressure allowing four runs off 7 hits. On the other side of the ball the Nationals couldn’t get anything on the stingy Astros pitching they were blown out 8-1 in game 4.

Game 5 was supposed to be the matchup of two aces Astros Gerit Cole and Nationals Max Scherzer were primed to faceoff in a pitching battle for the ages. With the series tied this pivotal game was most likely going to decide the series. Something unexpected happened; unfortunately, Scherzer began to feel extreme pain from neck spasms that had plagued him the last few years. 

Before Game 5 Scherzer couldn’t get dressed without the support of his wife. Even though Scherzer is one the most highly motivated professionals in the league he couldn’t pitch. Joe Ross would take the mound in Scherzer’s stead. Hedidn’t fair well against the lineup consisting of three MVP candidates. The Nationals took a 3rd loss at home in a row losing in a blowout 7-1. The series would be going back to Houston down 3-2.       

Game 6 back in Houston, the Astros now back in the driver’s seat leading the series 3-2. The Nationals had to win or their World Series dreams would be crushed. Stephen Strasburg on the mound for game 6 started out shakey giving up a 2 run homer in the bottom of the 1st inning to give the Astros an early 2-1 lead. 

After that homer things changed and it was all Nats from there. Strasburg went 8 innings not giving up another run and the Nationals helped him with the bats. Anthony Rendon was responsible for driving in 5 runs and Juan Soto hit a moonshot to lead the Nationals to a 7-2 win in game 6 and to force a winner-takes-all game 7. 

The starting pitchers for game 7 would be a sore and injured game one winner Max Scherzer on the mound for the Nats and Game 3 winner Zack Greinke for the Astros. The Astros would strike first in game 7 with a solo homer from Yuli Gurriel in the bottom of the 2nd. Then in the 5th, Carlos Correa would drive in another run to give the Astros a 2-0 lead. After this 5th inning things changed as Patrick Corbin came onto the mound and pitched lights out. 

In the 7th innings the Nationals finally got on the board with a Rendon solo shot to cut the lead to one. In the same inning Howie Kendrick would hit a two run moonshot off the foul pole to now give the Nats a 2-1 lead. In the 8th Soto would drive in another run, 4-2 Nats. Finally in the 9th Adam Eaton would drive in another 2 runs to give the Nats a 5-2, The fans and the players were beginning to taste the title. In the Bottom of the 9th Tim Hudson came into the game to close things out. The count was 3 balls and 2 strikes with 2 outs; Hudson throws a nasty pitch and the game is over the Washington Nationals are your 2019 World Series Champs! 

“The Caps cup in my opinion will always be the biggest celebration because of the popularity worldwide for Ovechkin, however I believe this World Series celebration will be huge and heavily increase the popularity for baseball in the DMV,” senior Brock Layden’s opinion on how big this championship will be. 

The Washington Nationals are World Series champions. The first in franchise history. Notable players are (including but not limited to) Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, Stephen Strasburg, the team as a whole performed the best they ever have. The future is unknown for the Nats, though it is seemingly bright, especially for the young talents on the team.