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Over 14,500 fans at Nationals Park saw their team take a 2-0 lead in the 2019 World Series. Wait, at Nationals Park?
More than 14,500 fans found their way to Nationals Park for the Game 2 watch party. There will be a lot more there on Friday when Nats bring their 2-0 series lead back home for first World Series game in DC since 1933 https://t.co/AISoo8FvpU
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) October 24, 2019
Okay, that was a watch party that both teams have and will have at their home ballparks when their teams are on the road.
One difference is that their losses occurred at Minnesota but other than that, not great for the Astros.
Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander are the first teammates to each win 20 games during the regular season but lose Games 1 and 2 of a World Series since Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers in 1965 against the Twins.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 24, 2019
The Dodgers would recover to win that series in 7 games. pic.twitter.com/iZ7x0eUOcn
Nationals at Astros - World Series (Nationals lead 2-0)
Evidently the 7-day break between games did not hurt the Nationals, they are on a pretty good roll right now.
The Nationals are the first team to win the first two games of a World Series on the road since the 1999 Yankees.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 24, 2019
Washington has also won 8 straight postseason games overall, tied for the longest win streak in a single postseason. pic.twitter.com/aQIm2izgfh
Stephen Strasburg battled for six innings and kept the Nationals in the game.
Stephen Strasburg, 95mph Fastball and 83mph Curveball, Overlay pic.twitter.com/blW5rZsJS9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 24, 2019
Tied 2-2 in the 7th inning, Kurt Suzuki was the player who started the big rally with big fly.
Kurt Suzuki is the oldest catcher (36 years old) to go deep in a #WorldSeries game since new Cubs manager David Ross in 2016. pic.twitter.com/IImj8xP0sY
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 24, 2019
Justin Verlander took another loss in the World Series.
Justin Verlander is now 0-5 in 6 #WorldSeries starts. He's the only pitcher since at least 1903 to start 6+ games in the World Series without getting the win in any of them. https://t.co/5NpomkSbK8
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 24, 2019
It eventually became a home run party for the Nationals
The Nats are EATON tonight. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/AYN4DdeG3x
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2019
Hello.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 24, 2019
Michael A. Taylor has a career #WorldSeries OPS of 5.000.#STAYINTHEFIGHT pic.twitter.com/AVraxmT4Lm
With the big lead, the Nationals were able to expand the use of their bullpen in Game 2. Fernando Rodney got into the game and that meant he would join another postseason veteran with this note. Aim that arrow high in the sky!
Rodney joins Jon Lester as the only pitchers to appear in every type of #postseason game in both leagues. https://t.co/tql04HSH3T
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 24, 2019
The Nationals did something that no team had done at Houston this season.
The Nats are the first team to beat Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole on the road in back-to-back games this year.@BenLindbergh: https://t.co/xOs8ithq4C
— The Ringer (@ringer) October 24, 2019
And some final thoughts on what happens when you take a 2-0 lead in the World Series.
55 teams have taken a 2-0 lead in the World Series and 44 went on to win it including 17 of the last 18. The 1996 Yankees were the last team to rebound from a 2-0 deficit.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) October 24, 2019
Teams that take a 2-0 series lead, winning both games on the road, have won 10 of 13 #WorldSeries. pic.twitter.com/JcLgRT4yNi
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 24, 2019