Urquidy, Bregman lead Astros over Nats 8-1 to tie Series 2-2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Not bad for a TBA.

José Urquidy outpitched all those big-name aces who preceded him, the unheralded Houston rookie quieting Washington's bats and the Nationals Park crowd, too.

Alex Bregman busted out of his slump with a go-ahead single in the first inning and a grand slam in the seventh, and the resurgent Astros routed the Nationals 8-1 Saturday night for a 2-all tie in a World Series that's been one big road show.

"From the very beginning I thought he was calm, I thought he was in control of his stuff," Astros manager AJ Hinch said about Urquidy. "His fastball had a little extra life to it. It's had good life this postseason. And then he just came up with big pitch after big pitch."

Game 1 winner Max Scherzer takes the mound Sunday night hoping to get Washington a home Series victory for the first time since the Senators won at Griffith Stadium in 1933. In a rematch of the opener, Gerrit Cole goes for Houston after losing for the first time since May.

Visiting teams have won the first four games for the first time since 1996, when the Yankees broke the pattern in Game 6 against Atlanta to take the title.

Game 6 will be Tuesday night in Houston, when the Astros lose their road-field advantage.

"This is what it's all about," Bregman said. "This is a beautiful thing. It's two teams battling it out. They've got great pitching, great offenses. It's been fun so far, and just want to keep it rolling."

Yuli Gurriel also drove in a run in the first as Houston strung together four singles in a seven-pitch span for a 2-0 lead against Patrick Corbin. Robinson Chirinos homered for the second straight day, a two-run drive that boosted the lead to 4-0 in the fourth.

Fans started leaving in the seventh, when the Astros sent 10 batters to the plate and battered...

source https://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Urquidy-Bregman-lead-Astros-over-Nats-8-1-tie-14565534.php