Houston Astros tie up World Series with 8-1 Game 4 victory
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTRK) -- The World Series is now guaranteed to return to Houston after a dominant 8-1 Game 4 win Saturday night.
Jose Urquidy was called to take the mound for the 'Stros in Game 4 Saturday night, and pitched like he was a 10-year veteran.
Altuve started the night with a single that just got past Trea Turner after George Springer struck out in lead-off. Brantley followed Altuve's footsteps with a blooper to centerfield.
Bregman continued the Astros' momentum with a line-drive single to left field that brought Altuve home to give the Astros a 1-0 lead. Yuli Gurriel continued the strong first inning with another RBI single. Anthony Rendon dove for the ball but couldn't make the throw to first base in time, sending Brantley home for a 2-0 lead.
Nationals' pitcher Patrick Corbin's struggles continued as he walked Carlos Correa, loading the bases with just one out. A double play from third to first ended the inning, leaving the score at 2-0.
Rendon hit a single hard to left field with two outs to start the night for the Nationals, and Bregman caught a line drive from Juan Soto to end the first inning.
Quick one-two-three outings from Corbin and Urquidy in the second inning sent the night to the third.
Brantley knocked his second single of the night in the third, but a pop-out from Bregman and strikeout from Gurriel left Brantley stranded at first.
Yan Gomes doubled to left field to begin the bottom of the third, and Turner sent Gomes to third. While it seemed the Nationals would get on the board on a blooper from Adam Eaton, Correa leaped high for an acrobatic catch to end the third. Urquidy showed great emotion after the play and the Astros dugout lined up to greet Correa in the dugout.
Correa was walked for the second time to begin the fourth inning, and Chirinos made Corbin pay for it with an absolute bomb to left field to give the 'Stros a 4-0 lead. According to The Athletic, he became only the second player in Astros history to go deep in consecutive World Series Games.
Marisnick then hit a single to centerfield with Urquidy attempting to bunt to send Marisnick to second, but struck out. Marisnick successfully stole second base in the midst of Springer's at-bat. A ground-out from Springer was able to send Marisnick to third, but Altuve's bunt attempt to send Marisnick home was unsuccessful as Altuve couldn't outrun the throw to first, ending the top of the fourth.
Urquidy continued his strong rookie outing with another one-two-three inning in the bottom of the fourth. Howie Kendrick sent Nationals Park on its feet with a deep one to center, but it was just short of a home run and Marisnick's catch ended the fourth.
Through five innings, Urquidy had only surrendered two hits. He had yet to walk a batter and struck out four.
Correa and Chirinos made great contact in the sixth, but the Nationals made strong defensive plays to halt any sort of continued momentum from the Astros.
Josh James entered in the bottom of the sixth for Urquidy. He finished the night with five innings pitched, two hits and four strikeouts. Credit to Urquidy for showing out in a big spot as a rookie.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Urquidy became just the fourth rookie in the last 30 years to throw a scoreless start in the World Series.
James surrendered a lead-off walk to Gerardo Parra and then another to Eaton, putting two on base with just one out. It led A.J. Hinch to remove James early and bring in Will Harris.
Rendon's grounder bounced off Harris and he lost sight of the ball, leading to a single that loaded the bases with one out and a limping Harris. Juan Soto grounded out to first but sent Parra home, cutting the Astros' lead to 4-1.
Harris once again removed the Astros from a jam after striking out Howie Kendrick, showing some emotion as the bases were loaded and only one run was scored for the Nationals.
Kyle Tucker entered to pinch-hit for Harris in the seventh, ending Harris's night. Tucker and Springer were walked by Tanner Rainer, putting two on base with zero outs.
Brantley got his third hit of the night that loaded the bases with one out. It led to Bregman completely silencing Nationals park with a grand slam that was rocked near the left field pole to extend the Astros lead to 8-1. It was just the second grand slam in Astros postseason history.
Gurriel, Correa and Marisnick were all walked in the seventh and it was the fifth walk of the seventh. A strikeout from Tucker ended the Astros' monstrous inning.
Hector Rondon entered in the seventh, and Victor Robles reached base on a single with one out. After walking Asdrubal Cabrera with two outs, Rondon was pulled and replaced by Brad Peacock.
Turner hit a sharp grounder down the first base line, but Gurriel snagged it on a diving play and then dove to first base for the out just before Turner reached base. It was incredible hustle from the player recently named a Gold Glove finalist.
Altuve hit a one-out single in the eighth and it was yet another multi-hit game for him, who has had a fantastic World Series. Bregman also reached base, but a line drive from Gurriel ended the eighth inning.
Peacock continued in the eighth and Rendon reached base on an error from Altuve, whose accuracy to Gurriel at first was off just a bit. Peacock then walked Soto, but struck out Kendrick and popped out Zimmerman to send the game to its final inning.
Chris Devenski entered in the bottom of the ninth to close it out for the Astros.
ABC13 sports reporter Bob Slovak ran into Houston legend Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale ahead of Saturday's game, and he's still confident in the Astros's chances going forward.
