WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 3 of the World Series (all times local):
9:10 p.m.
It’s been a rough 21st birthday for Washington Nationals boy wonder Juan Soto. He grounded out with a runner on second in the first inning, took a bad angle in left field on a Houston hit in the second and committed a fielding error in the third that contributed to the Houston Astros taking a 2-0 lead.
Nationals starter Aníbal Sánchez has given up two runs on six hits through three innings but mitigated the damage along the way.
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8:56 p.m.
Josh Reddick gave the Houston Astros a 1-0 lead over the Washington Nationals in Game 3 of the World Series with a second-inning single that drove in Carlos Correa.
Nationals starter Aníbal Sánchez gave up three hits in the inning but avoided further damage when George Springer grounded out to shortstop, stranding two runners.
Asdrúbal Cabrera and Ryan Zimmerman started the bottom half with singles for the Nationals, but Zack Grienke struck out Kurt Suzuki and got a double-play grounder from Victor Robles.
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8:28 p.m.
A scoreless first inning of Game 3 of the World Series included a leaping, over-the-shoulder catch by the Nationals’ Victor Robles of a drive to center field by the Astros’ Jose Altuve.
In the dugout, Altuve threw down his elbow pad and batting helmet in frustration after Robles’ snag. George Springer led off with an infield single for Houston but was stranded.
Anthony Rendon hit a two-out double to left for the Nationals before Juan Soto grounded out to end the inning.
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8:10 p.m.
The Washington Nationals paid tribute to the city’s baseball past and included a wishful message about the city’s political future in pregame ceremonies for Game 3 of the World Series.
Retired reliever Chad Cordero threw out the ceremonial first pitch in the first World Series game in Washington since 1933. His catcher was Brian Schneider, a teammate on the inaugural Nationals in 2005. That team was the first in Washington in 34 years, following the Senators’ departure for Texas.
Cordero was an All-Star that season and led the National League with 47 saves. He said it was “a huge honor” to be asked to throw the pitch.
Washington’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, welcomed the crowd while wearing a T-shirt with the number “51” printed over a map of the District of Columbia. The Democratic mayor said Washington was “soon to be the 51st state.”
City leaders have long sought statehood for Washington to give residents of the nation’s capital representation in Congress, but the idea is politically unfeasible because it would all but guarantee adding two Democrats to the Senate.
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5:59 p.m.
President Donald Trump plans to arrive at Game 5 of the World Series after the first pitch and leave before the final out.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said he spoke with Trump, and the president decided it would be least disruptive to fans to do it that way.
Trump intends to come to Nationals Park on Sunday night if the Series is still going by then. The Nationals lead Houston 2-0.
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5:41 p.m.
Juan Soto got a sweet treat for turning 21 — a birthday cake on the field from David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez.
Soto hoped to put the icing on that cake, too, because his 21st came on the same day as Game 3 of the World Series.
Soto starred for the Nationals in helping them take a 2-0 lead over Houston. The breakout star of this postseason is 4 for 7 with two doubles and a home run against the Astros.
Ortiz and Rodriguez are working on the Fox broadcast. The former sluggers presented the cake near home plate before batting practice, talked to Soto about hitting and, of course, took selfies with him.
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5:15 p.m.
Rookie Yordan Álvarez was dropped from the Astros’ starting lineup for Game 3 of the World Series as Houston lost its designated hitter with the shift to the National League ballpark.
Center fielder George Springer led off, followed by second baseman José Altuve, left fielder Michael Brantley, third baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman Yuli Gurriel, shortstop Carlos Correa, right fielder Josh Reddick, catcher Robinson Chirinos and pitcher Zack Greinke.
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4:30 p.m.
NL Championship Series MVP Howie Kendrick is out of the Washington Nationals’ lineup for Game 3 of the World Series.
Kendrick was the designated hitter in the first two games, which were played in the ballpark of the AL team, the Houston Astros.
Washington won both for a 2-0 lead heading into Friday night’s game, the first in a World Series in the nation’s capital since 1933.
There is no DH in games played at NL parks.
Asdrúbal Cabrera is starting at second base and hitting fifth, behind the usual top four of shortstop Trea Turner, right fielder Adam Eaton, third baseman Anthony Rendon and left fielder Juan Soto. Cabrera is stronger defensively than Kendrick, who has three errors this postseason.
Kendrick had four doubles and four RBIs in Washington’s sweep of St. Louis in the NLCS.
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