Astros Lead Nationals, 2-0: Live Score and Updates

2nd Inning: Astros Jump Ahead

The Astros struck first against the Nationals as Sanchez fell behind batters and his pitches caught too much of the plate. He coughed up three straight hits: a Carlos Correa double, a Josh Reddick run-scoring single and a Robinson Chirinos single.

The Reddick hit was the key one in the frame: he flicked his bat at a split-finger fastball outside and put his head down as he took off for first base. Juan Soto, the Nationals left fielder, had a very slim chance of throwing out the speedy Correa at home plate. His throw certainly didn’t help; it went over the catcher Kurt Suzuki’s head.

Asdrubal Cabrera was starting at second base for the Nationals on Friday over Howie Kendrick, one of the team’s best hitters this postseason, because he was 16 for 37 in his career versus Greinke. In addition, Nationals Manager Dave Martinez said the team’s analytics showed Cabrera hit the ball in the air against Greinke, as opposed to Kendrick’s ground balls.

Cabrera and Ryan Zimmerman singled in the bottom of the second inning. But Greinke escaped the damage by striking out Suzuki and getting Robles to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Both teams got a base runner on but nothing from it. Anibal Sanchez gave up a leadoff infield single to George Springer and got to second on a stolen base. But Sanchez was aided by a five-catch by Victor Robles, who ranged deep to center, twisted his body and stretched his glove to rob Jose Altuve of a sure run-scoring double.

In the bottom half of the inning, Anthony Rendon doubled off Zack Greinke with two outs but that was it. Trea Turner, the Nationals’ leadoff hitter, had a loud out: his flyout was caught at the warning track by Michael Brantley.

Before the game, the mayor of Washington, Muriel Bowser, said “play ball” and Chad Cordero, an All-Star during the Nationals’ inaugural season in Washington in 2005, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Astros

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

Because both teams lost the designated hitter playing in a National League park on Friday, one of the Nationals’ best hitters, Howie Kendrick, the M.V.P. of the N.L.C.S, is on the bench, and Asdrubal Cabrera is starting at second base.

Nationals

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

Pregame Story Lines

• If it wasn’t already obvious, the Houston Astros are in trouble. They trail the Washington Nationals, 2-0, in the best-of-seven World Series, having lost both games at home. According to MLB.com, teams that have gone up 2-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series have gone on to prevail in 71 of 84 instances.

  The last team to come back from a 0-2 deficit was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series, which they won in seven games after losing the first three. The Red Sox went on to claim the World Series title. The last example in the World Series: The 1996 Yankees, who dropped the first two games and then won four straight to win the crown.

• The Astros need Zack Greinke, a six-time All-Star and the 2009 A.L. Cy Young Award winner, more than ever. They landed him in a blockbuster July 31 trade to fortify their starting rotation with a World Series in mind. He is starting Game 3 and will be opposed by the Nationals’ Anibal Sanchez. While Greinke might be the better pitcher, Sanchez is no slouch; he had a 3.85 earned run average during the regular season and features an array of diving and darting pitches. He has allowed just one run in 12 2/3 innings this postseason. Greinke, on the hand, was torched for six runs in the first round by the Tampa Bay Rays and then allowed four runs in 10 1/3 innings against the Yankees.

  Perhaps the biggest reason the Astros need Greinke: they have only three starters on their World Series roster. Jose Urquidy and Brad Peacock, who started the Astros’ bullpen game in the last round, have both started games in the regular season, but neither are of the same caliber of Nationals’ Game 4 starter: Patrick Corbin.

• It is Juan Soto’s birthday on Friday. He is the ripe age of 21 now — much younger than the rest of his team of “viejos.” Soto, the Nationals’ star left fielder, is hitting cleanup in Game 3; he leads all players in the World Series with three extra-base hits.

  The Astros, on the other hand, had a notable decision to make about Yordan Alvarez, their power-hitting rookie outfielder. He was their main designated hitter during the regular season, but the third outfield spot alongside George Springer and Michael Brantley has been mainly manned this postseason by Kyle Tucker or Josh Reddick, both more capable defenders than Alvarez. Astros Manager A.J. Hinch did not put Alvarez in the lineup on Friday, but said he expected Alvarez to bat in Game 3. Hinch has said Alvarez would man Nationals Park’s large left field at some point.

• Washington is hosting its first World Series game since 1933, when the Senators lost the series, 4-1, to the New York Giants. The Senators’ roster included such players as Ossie Bluege, Joe Cronin, Goose Goslin, General Crowder and Heinie Manush.

• The Astros fired the assistant general manager Brandon Taubman on Thursday for his inappropriate comments last week. He yelled, “Thank God we got Osuna,” with an added expletive, at a group of female reporters in Houston’s clubhouse after the Astros clinched the A.L.C.S. Astros General Manager Jeff Luhnow addressed reporters for the first time about the scandal on Thursday. But questions still persisted about the team’s handling of the situation and its original statement that falsely labeled the article by Sports Illustrated reporter Stephanie Apstein, who first wrote about Taubman’s behavior, as “misleading and irresponsible” and a “fabrication.”