Nationals beat Astros in Game 7 for first World Series title

Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Howie Kendrick and Anthony Rendon each homered late and Max Scherzer battled through a neck injury as the Washington Nationals overcame a two-run deficit to beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Wednesday night at Minute Maid Park in Game 7 of the World Series for their first title in franchise history.

Washington, trailing 3-2 in the series, ended the Astros' bid for a second championship in three years with two consecutive road wins. The visiting team won every game of the Fall Classic.

The wild-card Nationals came from behind to win five elimination games this postseason. It's the first World Series championship brought to the nation's capital since the Senators in 1924.

"Guess what? We stayed in the fight. We won the fight," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said during the trophy presentation on the field. "We were down and out. We were 19-31. We didn't quit then, we weren't going to quit now."

Scherzer, who was scratched from his Game 5 start due to severe neck spasms, made a remarkable recovery after he received a cortisone shot over the weekend. The Nationals ace allowed only two earned runs on seven hits across five innings, striking out three and walking four.

Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel blasted a solo home run off Scherzer in the second inning and Carlos Correa delivered an RBI single in the fifth to give Houston a 2-0 lead.

Washington chased Astros starter Zack Greinke in the seventh inning after he gave up a solo homer to Rendon and walked Juan Soto. Facing reliever Will Harris, Kendrick belted a two-run shot to propel the Nationals to a 3-2 advantage.

Greinke allowed two earned runs on two hits across 6 1/3 innings. He notched three strikeouts and walked two.

Soto had an RBI single in the eighth and Adam Eaton came through with a game-clinching two-run single in the ninth to seal the victory.