The Washington Nationals have won the World Series, and Houston is now forced to go home, asking questions. Where did they go wrong? What could the have done better?
How would Kevin Cash have managed the top of the seventh inning?
To review, through six, starter Zack Greinke had pitched six innings of one-hit baseball, striking out three and walking one along the way. He wasn’t overpowering (he rarely is these days), but he was in control, moving the ball, hitting his spots, and changing speeds. He’s a good pitcher, and he looked good.
On the other hand, the Nationals had their two, three, and four hitters due up, facing Greinke for the third time, and Rays fans are by now very familiar with the idea that hitters get better the more the face the same pitcher, and that there’s a significant shift in the hitter’s favor from the second time through the order to the third time through the order.