Nationals Punch Their Ticket To The World Series For The First Time In Franchise History Beating Cardinals

Ryan Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals

For the first time since 1933, the World Series will come to the nation’s capital. The Washington Nationals completed a dominating sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals to end their season. That 1933 team, named the Washington Senators at the the time, are now the Minnesota Twins. That means this Nationals franchise will be heading to the World Series for the first time ever.

In game four of the NLCS, the Nationals scored seven runs in the first inning against Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson to give the sellout crowd exactly what they came for: A great chance at watching their team clinch the pennant for the first time ever. St. Louis didn’t go down as quietly as they have these first three games, cutting the lead to three by the fifth and having the tying run on first in the eighth. Closer Daniel Hudson wiggled out of the situation by forcing a ground out by Matt Carpenter to end the inning.

The lack of offense sparked by the Cardinals was the story of the series as the Cardinals scored six runs in four games as they got swept. The four runs Patrick Corbin allowed in game four was the only runs given up by Nationals starting pitchers in the entire series. The Cardinals could muster just 16 hits in 123 at-bats over the four games, for a collective .130 average. Not once did they have the lead in the series.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

“They beat us, clearly,” said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt. “They pitched very, very well … we tip our hat to them and wish them nothing but the best.”

This team is nothing like the playoff teams of years past who were all eliminated in the first round. The team’s pitching has been excellent with clutch hitting that has propelled them into the spotlight.

“We’ve had some chances and haven’t come through but they say you learn from your failures,” said the team’s longest-tenured player, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. “All those guys that were on those teams are part of this tonight, even though they’re not here.

The Nationals now wait to see who they will face in the World Series between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees.

Brandon Gitte