The Houston Astros are on the verge of a miraculous World Series come-from-behind triumph after winning game five 7-1 over the Washington Nationals in the American capital on Sunday.
The Houston Astros> had trailed 2-0 after the opening two matches in Texas but bounced back with three consecutive victories in Washington DC to flip the World Series on its head.
Sunday’s triumph came after racing to a 4-0 lead within the first four innings and never surrendering that lead.
The visiting team has now won all five matches of a strange World Series which has been unpredictable.
The Astros have emphatically turned around the series, scoring 19-3 across the past three games, with restriction a key part of their success.
“We look like ourselves now,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said.
Gerrit Cole played a big role from the mound for the Astros, while the Nats lamented the late injury to pitcher Max Scherzer>.
“He knew what this game meant to this Series,” Hinch said.
“Nobody better to have on the mound.”
Scherzer’s neck injury, which ruled him out of game five only hours beforehand, could rule him out of the World Series in a major blow.
The 35-year-old pitcher seems certain to miss game six and may only be relief if available for game seven.
“He’s going to figure something out,” Washington Nationals> manager Dave Martinez said.
“Right now, I don’t know his status. I’ll find out when I go back in. But he’s going to try and get himself ready.”
Game six takes place in Houston on Tuesday night.
