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World Series Game 1 Preview: Getting you ready for Nats-Astros

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washington nationalsHow you can tell Washington is buzzing over its first World Series in 86 years: look at the secondary ticket market.

Tickets for Games 1 and 2 in Houston are starting at $386 for Game 1 Tuesday night and $350 for Game 2 on Wednesday.

The DC tickets are … a tad more expensive.

Try $700 for Game 3 on Friday, $739 for Game 4 on Saturday, and $600 for the if necessary Game 5 on Sunday.

That’s demand outstripping supply.

Houston, in its second Fall Classic in three years, sends ace Gerrit Cole (20-5, 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 13.8K/9) to the mound for Game 1 to face Nats ace Max Scherzer (11-7, 2.92 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 12.7K/9).

Cole, rather famously, hasn’t lost since May 22, winning 19 consecutive decisions over a span of 25 starts.

The Astros are 23-2 in Cole starts in that stretch.

Cole has a 3-0 record with a 0.40 ERA in three starts in the 2019 postseason, giving up one run on 10 hits in 22.2 innings, striking out 32 and walking eight, which is just ridiculous.

Scherzer is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four postseason appearances, including three starts, in 2019, getting the win in Game 4 of the NDLS over Los Angeles with a seven-inning stint in which he gave up a run on four hits, striking out seven and walking three.

Mad Max also got the win in Game 2 of the NLCS over St. Louis, striking out 11 and walking two in seven one-hit innings.

Astros hitters vs. Scherzer

Good numbers overall: 27-for-96 career, .281/.324/.469 slash.

The damage, though, is two guys, primarily.

  • Michael Brantley: 15-for-44, 8 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
  • Josh Reddick: 5-for-11, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 3K

The rest of the lineup is a collective 7-for-41 against Scherzer

Nats hitters against Cole

Cole has had success dating back to his days in Pittsburgh, where he pitched from 2013-2017. Nats hitters are 22-for-97 with a .227/.265/.340 slash.

  • Trea Turner: 2-for-5
  • Adam Eaton: 1-for-5, 2K
  • Anthony Rendon: 5-for-13, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2K
  • Juan Soto: no career ABs vs. Cole
  • Howie Kendrick: 2-for-9, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 K
  • Ryan Zimmerman: 2-for-8, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 K
  • Asdrubal Cabrera: 2-for-17, 3 RBI, 6 K
  • Kurt Suzuki/Yan Gomes: no career ABs vs. Cole
  • Victor Robles: no career ABs vs. Cole

Story by Chris Graham

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