World Series Game 3 open thread

After the World Series has gone the way it’s gone so far, with the Nationals taking two on the road from the Astros, it feels a lot like the series is pretty much all over except for the shouting. This is not, in fact, the case, as they will have to play two games at a minimum in which the Astros, a fantastic team with great players, will have plenty of chances where they might win. But until something happens to stop the feeling, it’ll feel like it’s over.

The Astros only really need to win one game to at least make it feel like they’ve got a chance. It was only three years ago that the Indians blew a 3-1 lead in the World Series against the Cubs, with Cleveland’s baseball team tragically on the wrong end of the taunt that delighted their area’s basketball fans that the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the finals.

Houston could win tonight and lose tomorrow and still have some hope in that regard. It’s not likely, just like their coming back from a 2-0 deficit is not very likely. but “unlikely” is a lot better than “impossible.”

The 2017 champions turn to Zack Greinke, who is a very good pitcher in his own right, to try to stop the bleeding. Their hitters will face Anibal Sanchez, who you probably remember as having been a bad pitcher in the American League recent seasons, which is true, but he’s been fine for the Nationals this year and, in one of the things that makes the DC team feel (much to my consternation) like it fits the “team of destiny” narrative, has had two phenomenal starts, or at least games with good results, so far this postseason.

This is not the first time Sanchez has been in the World Series. He pitched there for the Tigers in 2012, taking the loss while giving up just two runs in seven innings as the Tigers lost a 2-0 contest in Game 3 of that year’s series. Seven years is a long time. Sanchez had a lot of bad baseball in the intervening years, but now he’s back. It’s a good story.

Tonight’s game, like the others so far, airs at 8pm Eastern on Fox.

Astros lineup

1. George Springer - CF
2. Jose Altuve - 2B
3. Michael Brantley - LF
4. Alex Bregman - 3B
5. Yuli Gurriel - 1B
6. Carlos Correa - SS
7. Josh Reddick - RF
8. Robinson Chirinos - C
9. Zack Greinke - P

The lack of a designated hitter in the NL stadium has led to Houston choosing to put Yordan Alvarez on the bench. Alvarez blistered the league to the tune of a 1.067 OPS in 87 games in this, his rookie season, including 27 homers, and is 3-6 so far in this World Series, though he’s yet to homer in the postseason.

Walgreens lineup

1. Trea Turner - SS
2. Adam Eaton - RF
3. Anthony Rendon - 3B
4. Juan Soto - LF
5. Asdrubal Cabrera - 2B
6. Ryan Zimmerman - 1B
7. Kurt Suzuki - C
8. Victor Robles - CF
9. Anibal Sanchez - P