Washington @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 22, 2019 ) Washington 5, Houston 4

Justin Verlander may have a reputation of being a big-game pitcher, but that hasn't been true of his World Series ventures. Verlander will aim to record his first-ever win in the Fall Classic on Wednesday, when the Houston Astros look to even the series with the visiting Washington Nationals at one win apiece.

Verlander is 0-4 with a 5.67 ERA in five starts over three previous World Series with Detroit (two) and Houston (one), and he admits the extra fanfare can make it tough to maintain his regular rhythm. "I'm going to be in my own world and do my own thing and just try to be in my routine as much as possible," Verlander said during his press conference. "You know that the nerves are going to be higher. Your body knows it's not a regular start. Going to sleep is not going to be the same as normal." Verlander will be matched up against Stephen Strasburg, who has a stellar 1.10 postseason ERA and a 4-2 record in seven career appearances (six starts). Juan Soto went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs while Ryan Zimmerman went deep in his first World Series at-bat as the Nationals recorded a 5-4 victory in Game 1.

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (3-0, 1.64 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (1-2, 3.70)

Strasburg has been electric with 33 strikeouts and just one walk in 22 innings this postseason, allowing just four runs and 18 hits. The 31-year-old has been in control of his emotions in this year's playoffs but doesn't have any sense for how he will handle his first dose of World Series pressure. "I don't know. I've never done it before," Strasburg said in his press conference. "I know what I expect of myself. I'm going to hold true to that. That's all I can really control. My approach is everything, and how I respond to whatever happens once the ball leaves my hand is just as important."

Verlander has served up five homers over his last three starts, including two in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees - a contest in which he gave up four runs and five hits over seven innings en route to a no-decision. It is a season-long trend for the 36-year-old, who allowed a career-worst 36 blasts despite posting a stellar 21-6 regular-season record. Verlander has been taken deep three times by Asdrubal Cabrera (21-for-76, 30 strikeouts) and also has struggled with Kurt Suzuki (14-for-42).

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros CF George Springer set a record by homering in his fifth straight World Series game and has gone deep a total of six times in eight career contests.

2. Soto (20 years, 362 days) is the fourth-youngest player to homer in a World Series game behind Andruw Jones (19 years, 180 days), Miguel Cabrera (20, 187) and Mickey Mantle (20, 352).

3. Houston 3B Alex Bregman struck out three times in four hitless at-bats in Game 1 and is just 3-for-22 over his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Nationals 3