WASHINGTON — Home runs, reviewed calls and manager ejections, oh my! The Nationals beat the Houston Astros 7-2 in Game 6 on Tuesday, forcing a final Game 7 for the series. The win marked the first time the first six games of a World Series were won by the road team.
After winning the first two games of the series, in Houston, the Nationals went on a three-game losing streak at Nats Park. They found their fire again Tuesday, putting a run on the board in the first inning, with Trea Turner scoring on a single from Rendon. The Astros countered immediately, scoring two runs, including a solo home run from Alex Bregman.
The game cooled until the fifth, when Juan Soto hit a 413-foot-blast to right field to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead.
After Turner was called out on a controversial base-runner's interference call in the top of the seventh inning, Martinez left the visitor's dugout to argue the call. But after a lengthy review and Washington calling the game under protest, Martinez returned to his team's dugout, where he watched a 2-run Anthony Rendon home run give Washington a 5-2 lead.
After the top of the seventh inning came to an end, Martinez returned to the field, this time arguing the call more vigorously. For his efforts, the second-year Washington skipper was ejected, becoming the first manager to be tossed from a World Series contest since Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves in 1996.
The Nats tacked on a pair of insurance runs on a two-run Adam Eaton double, with the final score 7-2.
Strasburg pitched 8 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts, and Sean Doolittle recording the final two outs.
Our favorite beer hero made another World Series appearance, after Bud Light flew Jeff Adams to Game 6 and aired a commercial that said "Not all heroes wear capes... or gloves" over the original footage of his catch.
What's next for the Nationals?
Following a historic postseason run, the Washington Nationals' season all comes down to one game. The Nats will play one final game of the 2019 season on Wednesday at 8:08 p.m.