The Washington Nationals returned to Houston’s Minute Maid Park last night. Astros In Round 7 of 2019 world serieswon it all and brought DC a World Series championship for the first time since 1924.
“Obviously, including the 2019 postseason,” the team said in slightly cheeky pregame notes for the series opener, “The Nationals have won five straight in Houston since the start of the 2012 season. We have won 12 of our last 13 games.”
Of course, things are very different for the Nationals in 2023. Right now, it’s just manager Davey Martinez and starter Patrick Corbin, the first of the three Astros teams. We are currently active with a roster of 26 players. Corbin’s return coincided with the latest order in the 2023 rotation.
Photo by Rob Tlingari/MLB Photo (via Getty Images)
The 33-year-old left-handed pitcher will make his first appearance in Houston since helping the Astros to two hits on 44 pitches and allowing no runs in three innings in the 2019 finals in relief for the Nationals.
“Today we were thinking [Corbin] We’ll get an inning,” Martinez said in the postgame press conference after winning Game 7 in 2019.
“He only played one inning, so we asked him if he could play another inning. He said, ‘Yes.'” replied, “Whatever you need.”
“After three rounds, I said, ‘I think we’ve got you covered. ” well done.'”
Martinez’s memories of going back and forth with Corbin in 2019 haven’t changed much, as he recounted before last night’s game.
‘Can I go home?’ ‘Yes’ ‘Can I go out? ‘
“‘Okay.’ That was amazing,” he said.
It meant a lot for the Nats captain to return to the stadium where it all happened in October 2019.
“It brings back good memories,” he said before last night’s game.
“I sat with some who were here in ’19. We have very little left. But we remembered a little bit. It was fun.”
The manager then went back to business and back to the brand (First established in 2019).
“But today we have to go 1-0.
Corbin hasn’t been the same pitcher since he started in 2019, but he’s made big strides this season after a tough three years in Washington’s rotation, and Martinez is on the mend before the southpaw faces the Astros again. We shared a lot of positive things.
“He’s been really good this year, really. and he’s going back to using the changeup more this year than he’s ever been, and that’s part of his plan, and he’s trying to capitalize on that changeup a little bit more, but the ball. hold it down.”
A 2-1 changeup to Mauricio Dubon in the fifth on Tuesday night didn’t come off enough, as the shortstop hit a 366-foot solo homer to left to make it 1-0 for the Astros and then Corbin with one RBI left. rice field. Later in the inning, Kyle Tucker hit a -1 fastball to the inside corner, and Tucker hit a 339-foot fastball into right field, his second home run of the inning, and the home team trailing 6-1. won.
It was the Nationals’ first loss in Houston since 2017, but returning to the stage for a big win in 2019 ultimately moved Martinez.
“It was pretty cool to go back there and sit in the same chair for Game 7,” he said.
“But it’s always fun to come here. The fans are great. “
“It’s very difficult to win a world championship in this league,” Corbin said after the game. Quoted by Mark Zuckerman of MASN.
“I hope people in this clubhouse get the chance to experience that.”
