HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:25 p.m.Houston threatened in the third inning, putting runners at the corners. Shortstop Trea Turner bobbled and then bounced his throw to first for an error on José Altuve's two-out grounder and Michael Brantley singled to right.Alex Bregman grounded to shortstop on the next play for a forceout.Washington's Stephen Strasburg gave up four hits in the first three innings, striking out four and walking none. He threw 58 pitches: 25 two-seam fastballs, eight four-seamers, 15 curveballs and 10 changeups.Houston's Justin Verlander was at 51 pitches through three innings throwing 24 fastballs, 18 sliders, eight curveballs and one changeup. He allowed four hits and one walk with four strikeouts.Washington's Juan Soto, playing his last game as a 20-year-old, doubled with two outs in the third for the Nationals' fourth hit. Soto was stranded when Howie Kendrick popped out, dropping the Nationals to 1 for 5 with runners in scoring... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" still break out from the crowd each time Alex Bregman comes to the plate at home for the Houston Astros.And the cheers got louder when Bregman hit a towering two-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Wednesday night.Going into the game, the third baseman was 3 for 22 (.136) with one RBI since the start of the AL Championship Series. He struck out three times while going 0 for 4 with a walk in Game 1 of the World Series, including two strikeouts with runners on base in a 5-4 loss to Washington."It's rare to see him kind of mentally frustrated, but yet if anyone is equipped to figure it out, it's Alex Bregman," manager AJ Hinch said before Game 2.Bregman has continued to get on base, with seven walks in six ALCS games against the New York Yankees, but he had only one extra-base hit in that span. He hit .296 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs in the regular season."He's incredibly accountable to himself and he takes a lot of responsibility... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:55 p.m.Justin Verlander has become the first pitcher with 200 career strikeouts in the postseason.The Houston Astros starter has four strikeouts through the first two innings against the Nationals, and the game is tied at 2-2.After the first three Nationals in the game reached base, and two of them scored, Verlander struck out four of the next six.John Smoltz, the big right-hander who was working the game on the Fox television broadcast, had been the postseason leader with 199 strikeouts.Washington starter Stephen Strasburg has three strikeouts through the first two innings.___7:50 p.m.Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers are both second-time winners of the Hank Aaron Awards that recognize the most outstanding offensive performer in each league.Yelich took home the National League honor for the second year in a row. Trout also won the American League's award in 2014.The awards... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The chants of "M-V-P!, M-V-P!" still break out from the crowd each time Alex Bregman comes to the plate at home for the Houston Astros.After Bregman struck out three times while going 0 for 4 with a walk in Game 1 of the World Series, including two strikeouts with runners on base in a 5-4 loss to Washington, the third baseman was 3 for 22 (.136) with one RBI since the start of the AL Championship Series."It's rare to see him kind of mentally frustrated, but yet if anyone is equipped to figure it out, it's Alex Bregman," manager AJ Hinch said Wednesday.Bregman has continued to get on base, with seven walks in six ALCS games against the New York Yankees, but he had only one extra-base hit in that span. His only homer this postseason was in Game 2 of the AL Division Series against Tampa Bay, after hitting .296 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs in the regular season."He's incredibly accountable to himself and he takes a lot of responsibility for our club, for our offense," Hinch said.... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Asked how his Washington Nationals figured out Gerrit Cole in the World Series opener, Juan Soto didn't have to look far for an answer."I'm glad I face him in spring training," Soto said.In fact, all of the Houston Astros and Nationals see a lot of each other starting every February — they share the complex at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.More than 200 days after breaking camp, they've ended the year on the same field with much more at stake."Pretty crazy, I never even thought about it," said Ryan Zimmerman, who also homered off Cole in a 5-4 win Tuesday night. "Must be something in West Palm. West Palm is good for us."Meanwhile, forgive local fans coming to a World Series watch party this week at the park for feeling a bit conflicted. Major League Baseball has given permission to let them onto the field for free Friday night to see Game 3 on the video board.There's even been some talk around the diamonds of splitting Houston and Washington jerseys down... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Asked how his Washington Nationals figured out Gerrit Cole in the World Series opener, Juan Soto didn't have to look far for an answer."I'm glad I face him in spring training," Soto said.In fact, all of the Houston Astros and Nationals see a lot of each other starting every February — they share the complex at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.More than 200 days after breaking camp, they've ended the year on the same field with much more at stake."Pretty crazy, I never even thought about it," said Ryan Zimmerman, who also homered off Cole in a 5-4 win Tuesday night. "Must be something in West Palm. West Palm is good for us."Meanwhile, forgive local fans coming to a World Series watch party this week at the park for feeling a bit conflicted. Major League Baseball has given permission to let them onto the field for free Friday night to see Game 3 on the video board.There's even been some talk around the diamonds of splitting Houston and Washington jerseys down... [More]

Astros first. George Springer walks. Jose Altuve singles to left field. George Springer to second. Michael Brantley strikes out swinging. Alex Bregman strikes out swinging. Jose Altuve steals second. Yuli Gurriel doubles to deep left center field. Jose Altuve scores. George Springer scores. Carlos Correa strikes out on a foul tip.2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Astros 2, Nationals 0.Nationals second. Howie Kendrick grounds out to shortstop, Carlos Correa to Yuli Gurriel. Asdrubal Cabrera pops out to shallow infield to Carlos Correa. Ryan Zimmerman homers to center field. Kurt Suzuki grounds out to shortstop, Carlos Correa to Yuli Gurriel.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Astros 2, Nationals 1.Nationals fourth. Juan Soto homers to center field. Howie Kendrick flies out to right field to Josh Reddick. Asdrubal Cabrera strikes out swinging. Ryan Zimmerman strikes out swinging.1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 2, Astros 2.Nationals fifth. Kurt Suzuki walks. Victor Robles singles... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:54 p.m.Juan Soto homered onto the train tracks high above the left field wall and hit a two-run double as the Washington Nationals tagged Gerrit Cole and the Houston Astros 5-4 Tuesday night in the World Series opener.Not even a history-making home run by postseason star George Springer and another drive that nearly tied it in the eighth inning could deter Washington.Ryan Zimmerman, still full of sock at 35, also homered to back a resourceful Max Scherzer and boost the wild-card Nationals in their first World Series game.Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for the save, only the second 1-2-3 inning on a night that Washington relievers were given a three-run lead and just held on.___10:40 p.m.The Houston Astros are closer, but still have some work to do in the ninth inning to avoid losing Game 1 of the World Series at home.Washington held on to a 5-4 lead after eight innings in its first-ever World Series game, after getting... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):10:15 p.m.George Springer greeted Tanner Rainey with a home run leading off the seventh inning, cutting the Houston Astros' deficit to 5-3 against the Washington Nationals in the World Series opener.Springer set a record by homering in his fifth straight World Series game, breaking a record he had shared with Lou Gehrig and Reggie Jackson.Houston loaded the bases when Rainey walked Michael Brantley and Alex Bregman with one out, and Carlos Correa reached on a two-out single to shortstop off Daniel Hudson.Hudson then struck out rookie Yordan Álvarez with the bases loaded.___9:42 p.m.Asdrúbal Cabrera singled to start the sixth but was erased when Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a double play. Gerrit Cole then retired Kurt Suzuki for the third out to wrap up a clean inning after giving up four runs combined in the previous two.Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in the bottom of the sixth and promptly struck out Carlos Correa... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:42 p.m.Asdrúbal Cabrera singled to start the sixth but was erased when Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a double play. Gerrit Cole then retired Kurt Suzuki for the third out to wrap up a clean inning after giving up four runs combined in the previous two.Patrick Corbin took over for Max Scherzer in the bottom of the sixth and promptly struck out Carlos Correa before rookie Yordan Alvarez singled to right field. But Corbin struck out Martín Maldonado before pinch-hitter Aledmys Díaz grounded out to end the inning.Scherzer allowed five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts. He threw 112 pitches, which were his most this postseason.___9:25 p.m.Gerritt Cole is pitching in a game without the lead for the first time since Sept. 2. The Houston Astros right-hander hasn't lost a game since May 22.Juan Soto, the 20-year-old for the Nationals already with a big solo homer, added a two-run double off the left field wall in the fifth inning... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):9:25 p.m.Gerritt Cole is pitching in a game without the lead for the first time since Sept. 2. The Houston Astros right-hander hasn't lost a game since May 22.Juan Soto, the 20-year-old for the Nationals already with a big solo homer, added a two-run double off the left field wall in the fifth inning as the Nationals took a 5-2 lead. He got stranded there when shortstop Carlos Correa made a lunging, fully extended catch on Howie Kendrick's liner that was headed toward left field.Adam Eaton's RBI single earlier in the fifth snapped a 2-2 tie.Cole entered Game 1 of the World Series having gone 19-0 in his last 25 starts. He was 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA, allowing only one run over 22 2-3 innings through the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series.The five runs by the Nationals are the most off the right-hander since he gave up six runs over five innings in a 9-4 home loss to the Chicago White Sox on May 22. He had allowed only... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):8:25 p.m.Gerrit Cole allowed one hit in a scoreless third after surrendering a solo home run to Ryan Zimmerman an inning earlier that got the Nationals within 2-1. Adam Eaton singled with two outs in the inning before Cole retired Anthony Rendon to end it.Cole has thrown 42 pitches through three innings.The Astros got a single from Michael Brantley with one out in the bottom of the frame and Yuli Gurriel followed with a single on a fly ball to shallow center field. Center fielder Victor Robles tried to grab it with a dive, but the ball bounced off the back of his shoulder as his glove popped off.Gurriel advanced to second on the play, but he and Brantley were left stranded when Carlos Correa struck out for the second time.Max Scherzer has thrown 69 pitches.___8:00 p.m.The first player ever drafted by the Washington Nationals hit the team's first World Series home run.Ryan Zimmerman, picked by the Nationals in 2005 and the only... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:40 p.m.Ryan Zimmerman went deep in his first World Series at-bat.Zimmerman, the first player drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2005, hit a two-out solo homer in the second inning off Houston starter Gerrit Cole.The blast to center, measured by MLB stats at about 413 feet, got the Nationals within 2-1.___7:35 p.m.Houston's Gerrit Cole (326) and Washington's Max Scherzer (243) combined for the most strikeouts ever by starting pitchers in a World Series game.After a pregame tribute to umpire Eric Cooper, who died last weekend, the game started with the roof closed at Minute Maid Park, and Yuli Gurriel put the Astros ahead with a two-run double in the first against Scherzer.Trea Turner led off against Cole with a grounder to the shortstop hole that went off the outstretched glove of Carlos Correa. Turner reached on the infield hit, then stole second on the first pitch to Adam Eaton. That was the first steal attempt in the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):7:10 p.m.Five-time Pro Bowl defensive end J.J. Watt from the Houston Texas wore a Jose Altuve jersey when giving an enthusiastic "Play Ball!" before the Astros opened the World Series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.Texans players wore Astros gear when they departed Houston for their game at Indianapolis last weekend.When Watt arrived at the stadium before Sunday's NFL game, he also sported an Altuve jersey, that time with the No. 27 and the 5-foot-6 second baseman's name facing the front. That was after Altuve's AL pennant-clinching two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the AL Championship Series to beat the New York Yankees on Saturday night.___7:05 p.m.Brian McCann didn't make it to the World Series as a player after returning to his original team. He was still there for Game 1 in Houston.McCann, the primary catcher for the Astros' championship season two years ago, threw out the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):5:10 p.m.Right-handers Joe Ross and Wander Suero were added to the Washington Nationals' active roster for the World Series in place of Roenis Elías and Austin Voth.Ross started Game 4 in the Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing four runs, three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. Washington rebounded to tie the score before losing 6-5.Suero entered in Game 3 after Los Angeles had scored four runs off Patrick Corbin to take a 5-2 lead. Suero allowed a three-run homer to Justin Turner, his first batter, and gave up a double before getting the final out of the inning. That was his only appearance of the series.Elías and Voth were on the roster for the NL Championship Series sweep of St. Louis but did not pitch,"I can use Ross in back-to-back days," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "Voth, I don't really know if we use him one day, he might not be able to pitch back-to-back days."___3:25 p.m.Trea Turner... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on the World Series (all times local):3:25 p.m.Trea Turner will be the first batter in this year's World Series when the Washington Nationals shortstop leads off Game 1 on Tuesday night against Houston right-hander Gerrit Cole.The rest of the Nationals starting lineup has RF Adam Eaton batting second, followed by 3B Anthony Rendon, LF Juan Soto, DH Howie Kendrick, 2B Asdrúbal Cabrera, 1B Ryan Zimmerman, C Kurt Suzuki and CF Victor Robles.Houston's lineup against Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer has CF George Springer leading off, followed by 2B Jose Altuve, LF Michael Brantley, 3B Alex Bregman, 1B Yuli Gurriel, SS Carlos Correa, DH Yordan Alvarez, C Martin Maldonado and RF Josh Reddick.___2 p.m.The assistant general manager of the Houston Astros has issued a statement apologizing for using "inappropriate language" after a report in Sports Illustrated said he repeatedly yelled toward a group of female reporters during the team's celebration after clinching the... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — After losing 100 games in three straight seasons, the Houston Astros are in position to become the first team to win 100 in four consecutive years.A core of José Altuve, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and George Springer has been supplemented with stud starting pitchers Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke, the combination leading the Astros to their second World Series appearance in three seasons."The ability to recognize when you have a chance to win — and realistically when you have a chance to win and not — I think is one of our most important responsibilities," former Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said ahead of Tuesday's Series opener against Washington. "You can fool yourself one way or the other. Making the wise decisions is extremely important for you to try to win a championship."Houston went 56-106 in 2011 after dealing stars Lance Berkman, Michael Bourn, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence. The team was sold from Drayton McLane... [More]

A position-by-position look at the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros going into the World Series, starting Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park:___First Base:Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman. The longtime face of the franchise, Zimmerman was Washington's first draft pick in 2005 after the team moved to the nation's capital from Montreal. The fan favorite has been through all of the Nationals' ups and downs, from a string of painful early playoff exits to the feel-good story of his first trip to the World Series this season. A converted third baseman, he's been hampered by injuries much of the past six years — including shoulder problems that affect his throwing. But at age 35, he's become an everyday player again during a solid postseason.Astros: Yuli Gurriel. From a family of baseball royalty in Cuba, the highly touted Gurriel got a $47.5 million contract and has established himself as a productive RBI man during three full years in the majors. He took off in late June and put together a big... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Howie Kendrick is in the postseason for the eighth time in his 14 major league seasons, having played in October for three different teams. This time, he is finally on a World Series team."This is a dream come true," the 36-year-old utilityman, who has been in 43 playoff games, said Monday before the Washington Nationals worked out in Houston. "Been in the playoffs many times, and this is truly special."Washington's appearance in the World Series also means the first time for Ryan Zimmerman, the first guy ever drafted by the Nationals in 2005 and the only player to wear their uniform in each of their 15 seasons."This has obviously been an unbelievable ride, and I'm just trying to soak it all in," the 35-year-old Zimmerman said.They aren't the only players with more than a decade of big league service time that are World Series first-timers.Astros reliever Joe Smith has made 782 appearances for six teams over the past 13 seasons. Asdrúbal Cabrera, who rejoined the Nationals... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Take out pennant-clinching home run hitter Jose Altuve, and the Houston Astros' bats are really scuffling this postseason.After leading the majors with a .274 team batting average during the regular season, the Astros hit only .208 in their two American League playoffs series while making it to their second World Series in three seasons. That drops nearly 20 points without the AL Championship Series MVP."The playoffs aren't about statistics. It's about moments," George Springer, the 2017 World Series MVP, said Monday. "It takes only at-bat a day to help your team. One at-bat a day can impact a game."Springer hit five home runs in that 2017 World Series after going 3 for 26 (.115) in the seven-game AL Championship Series, when he had three singles and didn't drive in a run.The Astros are hoping for similar performances from several players going into Game 1 against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.First baseman Yuli Gurriel, who hit .289 in 144 regular-season games,... [More]