5 reasons to believe the Nationals could win it all after Game 2

5 reasons to believe in the Nationals after Game 1

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 22: Washington Nationals relief pitcher Sean Doolittle (63) and Washington Nationals center fielder Victor Robles (16) celebrate closing out Game 1 of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /

5. A bullpen as deep as the Astros’

Houston jumped on the Nationals early, going up 2-0 in the bottom of the first, and shaking the confidence a bit for Nationals starter Mat Scherzer, who was pitching in his first-ever World Series game.

Normally, this would be the precursor to another Astros victory, but that would overlook what the Nationals have been doing over the past month. The Nationals have made this remarkable run to the World Series not just by their bats, but by their bullpen, which is just as deep and talented as the Astros’, maybe even more so.

After the Astros’ bats dinged Scherzer a bit in the first inning, he regained his cool and shut down Houston’s powerful lineup. After he exited the game in the fifth, the baseball world finally got a good look at the Nationals’ fantastic bullpen.

Patrick Corbin, Tanner Rainey, Daniel Hudson and closer Sean Doolittle combined to limit the Astros to just five hits and two earned runs. Washington’s bullpen has been dominating over the past two months, and especially in the postseason. Houston got a taste of the Nationals’ bullpen strength, and if they can keep up this dominating run of pitching, the Nationals could very well pull off the stunner of the baseball world.

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