Houston Astros vs Washington Nationals — Recap

📰Game Recap

The Houston Astros, entering the contest with a 52-55 record, defied pregame expectations by pulling off a 6-3 upset victory over the 54-52 Washington Nationals, who had been favored to win. The game saw both teams trade blows early, but a pivotal fourth inning allowed the Astros to take control and secure a crucial win on the road.

The Nationals jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning, with James Wood launching a 419-foot solo home run to right center. Houston quickly responded in the top of the second when Allen hit a sacrifice fly, bringing Walker home to tie the game at 1-1. Washington regained the lead in the third inning on another sacrifice fly, this time from Abrams, which scored Wood and put the Nationals up 2-1. Wood was a bright spot for Washington throughout the game, ending with two hits, including his home run, an RBI, and two runs scored.

However, the turning point arrived swiftly in the top of the fourth inning. The Astros exploded for three runs, starting with Allen's single to left that scored both Dezenzo and Walker, giving Houston a 3-2 lead. Vázquez then added another run with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Matthews and extending the Astros' advantage to 4-2. This offensive outburst proved costly for Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez, who finished his outing having allowed five earned runs over 5.2 innings.

The Astros continued to build on their lead in subsequent innings, as Vázquez singled to right in the top of the sixth, bringing Dezenzo home to make it 5-2. Jose Altuve provided some late-game insurance, hitting a 402-foot solo homer to left center in the top of the eighth, pushing the score to 6-2. The Nationals managed to add a final run in the bottom of the ninth on a 398-foot solo home run by Tena, but it was not enough to overcome Houston's lead, solidifying the Astros' 6-3 upset win.