A recap of the 2019 World Series

The 2019 MLB World Series was a clash of the titans, as the unhittable Houston Astros faced off against the explosive Washington Nationals. 

The Astros finished with a record of 107-55 and earned the first seed in the American League playoffs. They struggled in the first playoff round against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but managed to escape with a 3-2 victory. 

In the American League Championship Series (ALCS), the Astros quickly took a 3-1 lead and easily finished off the Yankees, winning the series 4-2.

Meanwhile, the Nationals didn’t have such a straightforward path to the World Series. They barely even made the playoffs, as their record of 93-69 forced them to play in a Wild Card game against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

Next they faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were favored by many to win it all. However, the Nationals overcame the odds and won the series 3-2.

In the National League Championship Series (NCLS), they blew past the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 and advanced to the World Series.

The Nationals rode their momentum into the World Series and won their first two games. Juan Soto racked up three runs and five RBIs, while pitchers Max Scherzer and Steven Strasburg provided two quality starts. 

At this point, the Nationals seemed unbeatable, as a\teams that started out 2-0 in the World Series had never lost before. 

However, the Astros rebounded early in Game 3 and scored immediately, leading 4-1 by the end of the sixth inning. Zack Grienke held the Nationals to one run, and Jose Altuve teamed up with Michael Brantley to account for two runs, which was enough to win the game.

The Astros, regaining hope, won Game 4 by a score of 8-1. Pitcher Jose Urquidy shut out the Nationals through five innings, and Alex Bregman accounted for six of the Nationals’ runs. 

Washington, reeling from the Astros’ historic comeback, was rattled for Game 5 and lost 7-1. Once again, everything came together for the Astros, as Gerrit Cole provided an excellent start and their bats came alive in the blowout. 

The Astros led the series 3-2, and it seemed that their victory was imminent. However, the Nationals refused to give up, winning Game 6 7-2. Steven Strasburg put in another quality start and third-baseman Anthony Rendon accounted for six runs. 

This set up a winner-take-all Game 7. The two teams used their aces at pitcher; Scherzer returned from a shoulder injury to face Grienke. 

Scherzer struggled early on, but managed to last five innings, allowing only two runs. Grienke was exceptional until the 7th inning, where he allowed a two-run homer that tied the game at two. The Astros immediately took Grienke out of the game, favoring consistent Will Harris, who lost the game for them by immediately giving up a run.

The Nationals continued their run for the rest of the game, scoring six total runs in just the last three innings. Their relief pitchers also held the Astros scoreless in this period, and they won by a score of 6-2, making them World Series Champions.

Although every game besides the first was a blowout, this series was one of the closest in recent memory. The away team won every game, which kept the series close and temporarily dispelled the myth of home field advantage.

Overall, the 2019 World Series was a rollercoaster for viewers everywhere, and it may go down as one of the greatest of all time.