Game Three
Location: Washington D.C. Nationals Park
When: Friday October 25
Time: 8:08 ET
The series shifts back to Washington with the Nationals holding a 2-0 series lead. This will be the first World Series game in Washington since 1933. Houston is looking to get back in this series after dropping both at home.
Pitching matchup
Image courtesy of The Denver Post.
Houston: Zack Greinke will take the mounds for Houston in his first World Series appearance. The Veteran righty had another successful season as he went 18-5, with a 2.95 ERA, and 187 strikeouts. However, he has been shaky in the playoffs. In three postseason starts this year he is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA, and 16 strikeouts. In his last start against the Nationals, he was still with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went seven and 1/3 shutout innings and gave up only two hits. Washington is hitting .267 against Greinke and will need to continue their hot hitting if they want to take game three at home.
Key matchup: Greinke Vs. Asdrubal Cabrera.
Cabrera is 16 for 37 with six walks against Greinke, for a .432 average. The veteran has hit Greinke well in his career and might get the start solely because of his success. Since being signed by Washington, Cabrera has delivered big hit after big hit. He continued this in game two as he helped break the game open in the seventh and padded the lead in the eighth. If he gets the nod in game three, Cabrera will need to deliver once again and take advantage of the matchup.
Washington: The Nationals will be countering with the veteran Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez has been lights out this postseason, as he is 1-0 with a .71 ERA, and 14 strikeouts, in two games. In his light start against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS, he had a no-hitter going into the eighth inning. It was broken up and he ended up going seven and 2/3 innings. Houston will need to get to Sanchez early before he can settle in. If not it will be another long night for the Astros offense.
Key matchup: Sanchez Vs. Michael Brantley
Brantley is nine for 30 for a .300 average in his career against Sanchez. Brantley has found success and will be leaned on to get the offense rolling. So far the Astros have been abysmal with runners in scoring position (RISP). They are hitting .127 with RISP since the start of the ALCS. Brantley, who has been batting in the three-hole, will have plenty of opportunities to deliver with George Springer and Jose Altuve hitting before him.
Feature Image From Baltimore Sports and Life
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