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World Series: Takeaways from Nationals historic Game 7 win

By Jake Mastroianni

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 30: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals delivers the pitch against the Houston Astros during the second inning in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 30: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals delivers the pitch against the Houston Astros during the second inning in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 30: Patrick  Corbin #46 of the Washington Nationals delivers the pitch against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 30: Patrick  Corbin #46 of the Washington Nationals delivers the pitch against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Seven of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Pitching decisions

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One thing that may get lost in this World Series is the decision made by Dave Martinez to stick with Patrick Corbin.

And subsequently, the decision by Astros manager A.J. Hinch to not stick with Greinke.

Like I mentioned earlier, the Nationals couldn’t touch Greinke for 6 innings. He made one mistake to Rendon and it left the park.

To be honest, Soto had a call go his way that changed that at-bat making it a 3-1 count instead of a 2-2 count. Greinke would then walk Soto and Hinch pulled him.

Not only did Hinch pull Greinke who was rolling, but he didn’t have Gerrit Cole ready and didn’t go to him with the lead in the seventh.

I understand the thinking, that you want Cole to start a fresh inning, but still… that’s a decision that’s going to be questioned for a while.

On the other hand, Martinez got everything he could have asked for out of Scherzer for 5 innings and then went to Corbin.

The lefty came in and was dominant. I’m sure the plan was for Corbin to pitch the sixth and seventh and then hand the ball over to Daniel Hudson or Sean Doolittle.

But Martinez recognized that Corbin was in a groove and left him out there. He didn’t overreact when Corbin gave up a single in the seventh.

And had the Nationals not extended the lead in the top of the ninth, I’m not so sure that he wouldn’t have sent Corbin back out there to start the bottom half.

And those two decisions, while they may seem small, played a huge role in deciding this Game 7.

Next. Nats are World Series Champs!. dark

It happened, folks. The Washington Nationals are World Series champions.

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