The Washington Nationals, oddsmakers’ steepest World Series underdogs in more than a decade, toppled the seemingly untouchable Gerrit Cole and staved off a bullpen collapse to steal Game 1 from the Houston Astros 5-4 at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night. Ryan Zimmerman, the Nationals’ first draft pick, in 2005, produced the franchise’s first Series run with a home run in his first plate appearance. Hinch was the only member of the organization to take a question about the debacle before Game 1 on Tuesday. Playing their first game in a week after sweeping through the National League Championship Series, the Nationals needed an inning to knock off the rust. The Nationals tallied their final three runs in the fifth on a run-scoring single by Adam Eaton and Soto’s double.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 23, 2019 04:07 UTC