2019 WORLD SERIES SIMULATION

The World Series is back in Houston for the second time in three years and the city of Washington for the first time since 1933. Houston dominated the regular season with a franchise-record 107 wins; their third consecutive 100-win season. Washington had to settle for the NL Wild Card before disposing of Milwaukee, NL-best Los Angeles, and then St. Louis to become the NL Pennant Winners.

Will Houston claim their second title in three years or will Washington win their first title? Only time will tell but for those that can’t wait, we played it out using Strat-O-Matic Baseball Daily. For both the 2017 World Series and 2018 World Series we ran simulations with great accuracy. Baseball Daily uses actual stats, projections, and hot/cold streaks to accurately reflect where each player is performing today.

Here we go!

WASHINGTON vs. HOUSTON

 Game 1

Washington  4  8  2
Houston     8  9  1

Both Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer cruise early with Scherzer striking out the side in the first. Washington strikes third inning when Adam Eaton drives in the first run of the ballgame. Scherzer gets into his first trouble in the bottom half of the inning but strikes out Jose Altuve to strand two runners in scoring position. Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel hit back-to-back doubles in the 4th to tie the game. Anthony Rendon’s error plates another run and sets up Robinson Chirinos’ three run homer as Houston grabs a 5-1 lead through 4. Houston extends the lead to 7-1 in the 7th inning. Howie Kendrick hits a three run blast to close the gap and it’s 8-4 going into the 9th. Kendrick bats as the potential tying run with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth but grounds out as Roberto Osuna is able to hold on.

Game 2

Washington  0  4  2
Houston     5  9  0

Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley hit 1st inning home runs off Stephen Strasburg. Brantley goes yard again in the third inning to grab a 4-0 lead early. Washington manages only four hits off Justin Verlander as they were never able to get a major threat in this one. Verlander goes 8 and strikes out 10 hitters on the way to the win.

 Game 3

Houston           6  11  0
Washington 7  12  2

The series plays in Washington for the first time in 86 years and the home team continues to win in the series. Both teams score a run in the first inning and Trea Turner’s second inning homer gives Washington a 3-1 lead. After Houston scores one in the 3rd, George Springer’s two-run homer gives them the lead back in the 5th. They tack on another to go up 5-3 but Kendrick’s second homer in the series ties it up. Yuli Gurriel second sacrifice fly gives Houston yet another lead in the top of the 7th. Once again, Washington retaliates. This time it’s Kurt Suzuki and his two-runner that gives Washington the lead that they hold on to.

Game 4 (10 innings)

Houston        4  10  0
Washington     3    8   1

It’s a bullpen game for Houston but they manage to keep Washington off the board until a Kurt Suzuki homer in the 7th inning. In the meantime a Carlos Correa homerun and a sacrifice fly from Robinson Chirinos give them a 2-0 lead. Suzuki’s homer makes it 2-1 and Anthony Rendon’s two-run shot gives Washington a temporary 3-2 lead. Jake Marisnick, previously in the game for defense, ties the game with a homer of his own. In the 10th, George Springer hits a lead-off triple and scores on a passed ball. Roberto Osuna manages to strike out the side, stranding two, as the Astros take a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5

Houston           3  11  0
Washington 4  6  0

Houston gets men on base in each of the first two innings but Scherzer is able to strand them. George Springer breaks through with a home run in the third inning. A second Houston run in the inning is cut-down as Bregman is thrown out at the plate after a Gurriel double. Cole cruises through the first three innings before Juan Soto’s two run homer gives Washington the lead in the fourth. The pitchers trade zeroes until Jose Altuve’s 7th inning sacrifice fly ties the game. Kurt Suzuki homers for the third straight game as Washington takes a 4-2 lead after 7. Daniel Hudson is able to get through the 9th to preserve the victory and extend the series.

Game 6

Washington  1   1  0
Houston     2  6  0

Michael Brantley hits his third homer of the series (all off Stephen Strasburg) as Houston claims an early 1-0 lead. Houston adds a second run off Springer’s RBI double in the 5th. In the meantime, Justin Verlander is pitching lights-out; a 5th inning leadoff walk to Juan Soto is the only baserunner he’ll give up until the 9th inning. There Washington finally gets their first hit, a lead-off triple by none other than Kurt Suzuki. A sacrifice fly later, Verlander exits after 125 pitches while striking out 12 hitters. Roberto Osuna is called on to get the last two outs of the series as Houston wins!

HOUSTON WINS WORLD SERIES 4-2

MVP – JUSTIN VERLANDER, 2-0, 0.55 ERA, 22 K

Houston Highlights – George Springer (15-28 [.536], 2 HR), Jose Altuve (.320, 5 runs scored), Gerrit Cole (2.08 ERA, 19 K in 13 IP)

Washington Highlights – Kurt Suzuki (.381, 3 HR), Howie Kendrick (.273, 2 HR, 6 RBI), Max Scherzer (2.70 ERA, 25 K in 13.1 IP)