HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 7 of the World Series (all times local):10:50 p.m.Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon homered in the seventh inning as the Washington Nationals overcame a two-run deficit and rocked the Houston Astros 6-2 Wednesday night in Game 7 to claim the first World Series title in franchise history.With all eyes on Max Scherzer and his remarkable recovery following an injection, the Nationals embraced their shot in a Series where the road team won every game. Even more against the odds: Juan Soto and Washington rallied from behind to win five elimination games this postseason.Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and the Nats brought the first World Series championship to the nation's capital since Walter Johnson delivered the crown for the Senators in 1924.___10:22 p.m.The Washington Nationals added to their lead going into the ninth inning of Game 7 after another hit by their young slugger.Juan Soto's RBI single in the eighth inning extended Washington's lead over the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 7 of the World Series (all times local):10:22 p.m.The Washington Nationals added to their lead going into the ninth inning of Game 7 after another hit by their young slugger.Juan Soto's RBI single in the eighth inning extended Washington's lead over the Houston Astros to 4-2.Houston will have the top of its order coming up in the bottom of the ninth, needing at least two runs as they try to win their second World Series title in three years.Washington, with the Nationals in their 15th season, will try to take a World Series title with the visiting team winning every game.Soto, who turned 21 last Friday, has two hits in the Series finale and 18 this postseason, with only one player younger than him matching that. Miguel Cabrera had 18 hits as a 20-year-old rookie for the World Series champion Marlins in 2003.___9:53 p.m.Anthony Rendon homered off Zack Greinke and Howie Kendrick followed with a go-ahead, two-run drive against Will Harris in the seventh inning,... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 7 of the World Series (all times local):9:53 p.m.Anthony Rendon homered off Zack Greinke and Howie Kendrick followed with a go-ahead, two-run drive against Will Harris in the seventh inning, giving the Washington Nationals a 3-2 lead over the Houston Astros in Game 7.Greinke cruised through six innings with a one-hit shutout, needing just 67 pitchesWith Washington trailing 2-0, Rendon drove a changeup into the left-field Crawford boxes with one out in the seventh, then Juan Soto walked on five pitches.Harris relieved and Kendrick swung past a curveball, then drove a cutter to the opposite field, where it hit off the screen attached to the right-field foul pole, stunning the crowd at Minute Maid Park.Yuli Gurriel singled off Patrick Corbin with two outs in the bottom half but became the Astros' 10th stranded runner when Yordan Álvarez grounded out.___9:16 p.m.Zack Greinke put up another zero in the sixth while Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 7 of the World Series (all times local):9:16 p.m.Zack Greinke put up another zero in the sixth while Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in Game 7 with Houston leading the Nationals 2-0.Greinke breezed through a 1-2-3 sixth inning. He has allowed just one hit, walked one and has thrown 67 pitches in this efficient outing.Pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick led off Houston's sixth with a single. But Corbin struck out George Springer before Jose Altuve grounded into a double play to end the inning.___9 p.m.Zack Greinke is providing quite an assist for the Houston Astros as they try to clinch their second World Series title in three seasons.Houston leads the Washington Nationals 2-0 through five innings, and finally got a hit with a runner in scoring position.Greinke has allowed only two runners, giving up a single in the second inning and a walk in the fifth. The five-time Gold Glove-winning pitcher and former Cy Young winner, a trade deadline acquisition for... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The "Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo" earworm might just be coming to a World Series near you, if Washington Nationals backup outfielder Gerardo Parra heads to the plate during one of his team's home games against the Houston Astros.A walk-up song that showed up months ago as a sweet tribute to the musical taste of Parra's 2-year-old daughter has become a rallying cry of sorts for spectators at Nationals Park — who sing and clap along by the thousands, arms fully extended in a chomping motion — and his teammates — who do their own shark-inspired hand gestures after each hit, including pinching together an index finger and thumb after singles.Some players work out wearing headbands sporting a cartoon shark. Some fans wear full-body shark costumes. There's even a little blue stuffed-animal shark that Parra placed in the netting in front of the home dugout at Nationals Park.All of the zaniness could be on display for a global TV audience as the Fall Classic shifts to... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The "Baby Shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo" earworm might just be coming to a World Series near you, if Washington Nationals backup outfielder Gerardo Parra heads to the plate during one of his team's home games against the Houston Astros.A walk-up song that showed up months ago as a sweet tribute to the musical taste of Parra's 2-year-old daughter has become a rallying cry of sorts for spectators at Nationals Park — who sing and clap along by the thousands, arms fully extended in a chomping motion — and his teammates — who do their own shark-inspired hand gestures after each hit, including pinching together an index finger and thumb after singles.Some players work out wearing headbands sporting a cartoon shark. Some fans wear full-body shark costumes. There's even a little blue stuffed-animal shark that Parra placed in the netting in front of the home dugout at Nationals Park.All of the zaniness could be on display for a global TV audience as the Fall Classic shifts to... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" still break out from the crowd each time Alex Bregman comes to the plate at home for the Houston Astros.And the cheers got louder when Bregman hit a towering two-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night. After that, there wasn't much else for Astros fans to cheer about.That homer by Bregman produced the only Astros runs until the ninth inning in a 12-3 loss to the Washington Nationals, who took a commanding 2-0 series lead.Going into the game, Bregman was 3 for 22 (.136) with one RBI since the start of the AL Championship Series. The third baseman struck out three times while going 0 for 4 with a walk in Game 1, including two strikeouts with runners on base in a 5-4 loss to Washington.BEST STREAK EVERThe Nationals have won 18 of their last 20 games, the best 20-game stretch in team history.That includes a current eight-game winning streak, matching the longest in a single postseason. The other teams that... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" still break out from the crowd each time Alex Bregman comes to the plate at home for the Houston Astros.And the cheers got louder when Bregman hit a towering two-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night.Going into the game, the third baseman was 3 for 22 (.136) with one RBI since the start of the AL Championship Series. He struck out three times while going 0 for 4 with a walk in Game 1 of the World Series, including two strikeouts with runners on base in a 5-4 loss to Washington."It's rare to see him kind of mentally frustrated, but yet if anyone is equipped to figure it out, it's Alex Bregman," manager AJ Hinch said before Game 2.Bregman has continued to get on base, with seven walks in six ALCS games against the New York Yankees, but he had only one extra-base hit in that span. He hit .296 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs in the regular season."He's incredibly accountable to himself and he takes a lot of responsibility... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" still break out from the crowd each time Alex Bregman comes to the plate at home for the Houston Astros.After Bregman struck out three times while going 0 for 4 with a walk in Game 1 of the World Series, including two strikeouts with runners on base in a 5-4 loss to Washington, the third baseman was 3 for 22 (.136) with one RBI since the start of the AL Championship Series."It's rare to see him kind of mentally frustrated, but yet if anyone is equipped to figure it out, it's Alex Bregman," manager AJ Hinch said Wednesday.Bregman has continued to get on base, with seven walks in six ALCS games against the New York Yankees, but he had only one extra-base hit in that span. His only homer this postseason was in Game 2 of the AL Division Series against Tampa Bay, after hitting .296 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs in the regular season."He's incredibly accountable to himself and he takes a lot of responsibility for our club, for our offense," Hinch said.... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman has come full circle, with a trot around the bases for the Washington Nationals.The first amateur player ever drafted by the Nationals in 2005, and the only person to wear their jersey during all 15 seasons the team has existed, Zimmerman hit their first World Series home run."First at-bat, to hit a home run and run around the bases, you're kind of almost floating around the bases," Zimmerman said. "To be able to do that is obviously what you work for. Not only you sacrifice for, but I think what your family sacrifices for. That's why you play the game, to play on the biggest stage."With his deep blast to center field with two outs in the second inning Tuesday night — Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole immediately threw his right arm up knowing the ball was long gone — the 35-year-old Zimmerman also scored the team's first-ever run in the World Series."I'll be honest with you, my eyes got a little watery for him," manager Dave Martinez said. "He waited a long... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — He could have been Mad Max on a night his best was missing. Instead, he fenced and fought, shuffled and juggled.And so did the Washington Nationals bullpen.As the Houston Astros kept clawing within one big hit of a comeback, Scherzer and the Nationals just held on.Scherzer got through five innings of Max-imum effort for a 5-4 victory in Tuesday night's opener, becoming the first pitcher to win a World Series game for a Washington team since Earl Whitehill against the New York Giants in 1933.Unable to overwhelm, Scherzer threw a bit of the ol' razzle dazzle that included 112 pitches, nine full counts and six stranded runners."They grinded me apart. Pitch count was out of control, and that's a credit to what they were able to do and constantly put pressure on me," said Scherzer, who threw just 42 pitches out of his windup. "I was just not going to give in. I had to continue to bounce sliders and changeups in the dirt because I just did not want to give up another run."Nationals... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — He could have been Mad Max on a night his best was missing. Instead, he fenced and fought, shuffled and juggled.And so did the Washington Nationals bullpen.As the Houston Astros kept clawing within one big hit of a comeback, Scherzer and the Nationals just held on.Scherzer got through five innings of Max-imum effort for a 5-4 victory in Tuesday night's opener, becoming the first pitcher to win a World Series game for a Washington team since Earl Whitehill against the New York Giants in 1933.Unable to overwhelm, Scherzer threw a bit of the ol' razzle dazzle that included 112 pitches, nine full counts and six stranded runners.Nationals manager Dave Martinez followed the once-unconventional and now by-the-postseason-book method of tapping starters for big-moment relief, bringing in Patrick Corbin for the sixth, the first of four heartburn-inducing relievers.A three-time Cy Young Award winner and seven-time All-Star, Scherzer is seeking his first Series ring at age 35. His only... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:54 p.m.Juan Soto homered onto the train tracks high above the left field wall and hit a two-run double as the Washington Nationals tagged Gerrit Cole and the Houston Astros 5-4 Tuesday night in the World Series opener.Not even a history-making home run by postseason star George Springer and another drive that nearly tied it in the eighth inning could deter Washington.Ryan Zimmerman, still full of sock at 35, also homered to back a resourceful Max Scherzer and boost the wild-card Nationals in their first World Series game.Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for the save, only the second 1-2-3 inning on a night that Washington relievers were given a three-run lead and just held on.___10:40 p.m.The Houston Astros are closer, but still have some work to do in the ninth inning to avoid losing Game 1 of the World Series at home.Washington held on to a 5-4 lead after eight innings in its first-ever World Series game, after getting... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:15 p.m.George Springer greeted Tanner Rainey with a home run leading off the seventh inning, cutting the Houston Astros' deficit to 5-3 against the Washington Nationals in the World Series opener.Springer set a record by homering in his fifth straight World Series game, breaking a record he had shared with Lou Gehrig and Reggie Jackson.Houston loaded the bases when Rainey walked Michael Brantley and Alex Bregman with one out, and Carlos Correa reached on a two-out single to shortstop off Daniel Hudson.Hudson then struck out rookie Yordan Álvarez with the bases loaded.___9:42 p.m.Asdrúbal Cabrera singled to start the sixth but was erased when Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a double play. Gerrit Cole then retired Kurt Suzuki for the third out to wrap up a clean inning after giving up four runs combined in the previous two.Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in the bottom of the sixth and promptly struck out Carlos Correa... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:42 p.m.Asdrúbal Cabrera singled to start the sixth but was erased when Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a double play. Gerrit Cole then retired Kurt Suzuki for the third out to wrap up a clean inning after giving up four runs combined in the previous two.Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in the bottom of the sixth and promptly struck out Carlos Correa before rookie Yordan Alvarez singled to right field. But Corbin struck out Martín Maldonado before pinch-hitter Aledmys Díaz grounded out to end the inning.Scherzer allowed five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts. He threw 112 pitches, which were his most this postseason.___9:25 p.m.Gerritt Cole is pitching in a game without the lead for the first time since Sept. 2. The Houston Astros right-hander hasn't lost a game since May 22.Juan Soto, the 20-year-old for the Nationals already with a big solo homer, added a two-run double off the left field wall in the fifth inning... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:25 p.m.Gerritt Cole is pitching in a game without the lead for the first time since Sept. 2. The Houston Astros right-hander hasn't lost a game since May 22.Juan Soto, the 20-year-old for the Nationals already with a big solo homer, added a two-run double off the left field wall in the fifth inning as the Nationals took a 5-2 lead. He got stranded there when shortstop Carlos Correa made a lunging, fully extended catch on Howie Kendrick's liner that was headed toward left field.Adam Eaton's RBI single earlier in the fifth snapped a 2-2 tie.Cole entered Game 1 of the World Series having gone 19-0 in his last 25 starts. He was 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA, allowing only one run over 22 2-3 innings through the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series.The five runs by the Nationals are the most off the right-hander since he gave up six runs over five innings in a 9-4 home loss to the Chicago White Sox on May 22. He had allowed only... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:25 p.m.Gerrit Cole allowed one hit in a scoreless third after surrendering a solo home run to Ryan Zimmerman an inning earlier that got the Nationals within 2-1. Adam Eaton singled with two outs in the inning before Cole retired Anthony Rendon to end it.Cole has thrown 42 pitches through three innings.The Astros got a single from Michael Brantley with one out in the bottom of the frame and Yuli Gurriel followed with a single on a fly ball to shallow center field. Center fielder Victor Robles tried to grab it with a dive, but the ball bounced off the back of his shoulder as his glove popped off.Gurriel advanced to second on the play, but he and Brantley were left stranded when Carlos Correa struck out for the second time.Max Scherzer has thrown 69 pitches.___8:00 p.m.The first player ever drafted by the Washington Nationals hit the team's first World Series home run.Ryan Zimmerman, picked by the Nationals in 2005 and the only... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:40 p.m.Ryan Zimmerman went deep in his first World Series at-bat.Zimmerman, the first player drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2005, hit a two-out solo homer in the second inning off Houston starter Gerrit Cole.The blast to center, measured by MLB stats at about 413 feet, got the Nationals within 2-1.___7:35 p.m.Houston's Gerrit Cole (326) and Washington's Max Scherzer (243) combined for the most strikeouts ever by starting pitchers in a World Series game.After a pregame tribute to umpire Eric Cooper, who died last weekend, the game started with the roof closed at Minute Maid Park, and Yuli Gurriel put the Astros ahead with a two-run double in the first against Scherzer.Trea Turner led off against Cole with a grounder to the shortstop hole that went off the outstretched glove of Carlos Correa. Turner reached on the infield hit, then stole second on the first pitch to Adam Eaton. That was the first steal attempt in the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:10 p.m.Five-time Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. Watt from the Houston Texas wore a Jose Altuve jersey when giving an enthusiastic "Play Ball!" before the Astros opened the World Series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.Texans players wore Astros gear when they departed Houston for their game at Indianapolis last weekend.When Watt arrived at the stadium before Sunday's NFL game, he also sported an Altuve jersey, that time with the No. 27 and the 5-foot-6 second baseman's name facing the front. That was after Altuve's AL pennant-clinching two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the AL Championship Series to beat the New York Yankees on Saturday night.___7:05 p.m.Brian McCann didn't make it to the World Series as a player after returning to his original team. He was still there for Game 1 in Houston.McCann, the primary catcher for the Astros' championship season two years ago, threw out the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:10 p.m.Right-handers Joe Ross and Wander Suero were added to the Washington Nationals' active roster for the World Series in place of Roenis Elías and Austin Voth.Ross started Game 4 in the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing four runs, three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. Washington rebounded to tie the score before losing 6-5.Suero entered in Game 3 after Los Angeles had scored four runs off Patrick Corbin to take a 5-2 lead. Suero allowed a three-run homer to Justin Turner, his first batter, and gave up a double before getting the final out of the inning. That was his only appearance of the series.Elías and Voth were on the roster for the NL Championship Series sweep of St. Louis but did not pitch,"I can use Ross in back-to-back days," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "Voth, I don't really know if we use him one day, he might not be able to pitch back-to-back days."___3:25 p.m.Trea Turner... [More]