Heartbreak In Houston: Washington Nationals Beat Astros In Game 7

WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Nationals capped a remarkable season Wednesday night, scrapping from unlikely wildcard winner to baseball's World Champions, staving off elimination with a victory Tuesday and then crowning themselves in Game 7 with a come-from-behind 6-2 road victory over the Houston Astros.

Neither the Nationals nor the Astros won a single game at home, but the Nats victory set off celebration at National Park and the homes, bars and streets of the District and northern Virginia.

In Houston, it was heartbreak. They blew a 3-2 series lead to end their quest for a second World Championship in three years after having the best regular-season home record in baseball.

The Astros had been favorites to win the fall classic but the upstart Nats, with a combination of youthful naivete and experienced starting pitching, would have none of it.
Team owner Ted Lerner said at the trophy presentation, "A dream came true. We did it for the fans of Washington, and it feels great."

Nationals fans exploded in celebration.

"We're world champs tonight," Martinez said. He called his team resilient guys "who love to play the game. … We stayed in the fight, we won the fight. I believe in these guys and they believe in each other.

The Nationals stormed out to a 2-0 lead in the series with two wins in Houston, but were swept at home and fell behind 3-2. A 7-2 victory in Game 6 Tuesday night kept them alive in the series, leading up to the critical Game 7 Wednesday night.

Down in the 7th, home runs by Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick, gave the Nats a slim lead. A run in the eighth and two more in the ninth left the Astros limp in their dugout when the final out was snatched by catcher Yan Gomes just before 11 o'clock Houston time.

Fans in D.C. snapped up all 36,000 tickets to a watch party at Nationals Park, and there are other watch parties happening around the District as Nats fans hope for the first World Series title in D.C. since the Washington Senators — now the Minnesota Twins — did it 95 years ago.