Washington @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 29, 2019 ) Washington 7, Houston 2

Max Scherzer is apparently recovered from the neck injury that scratched him from Game 5 and looks to help the Washington Nationals win their first World Series title when he takes the mound Wednesday night against the Houston Astros. Scherzer threw Tuesday afternoon and pronounced himself ready to make the Game 7 start, and the Nationals tied the series 3-3 later that night with a 7-2 triumph.

Scherzer received a pain-killing injection Sunday and the fast recovery gives himself the chance to start the biggest game of his career and manager Dave Martinez said there will be no limits on the right-hander. "Max will pitch until his neck decides he can't pitch anymore," Martinez said in a press conference. "I can't see myself telling Max, 'you're only going to go 75 pitches.' He's going to want to go out there and go as long as he can." Houston native Anthony Rendon tormented his hometown club by going 3-for-4 with a homer and five RBIs in Game 6 while Juan Soto and Adam Eaton slugged solo shots as the road team won for the sixth consecutive time in the series. Alex Bregman smacked his third homer of the World Series for the Astros, who are looking for their second title in three seasons, while Jose Altuve went hitless (0-for-3) for the first time to drop to .321 in 28 at-bats.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (3-0, 2.16 ERA) vs. Astros RH Zack Greinke (0-2, 5.30)

Scherzer picked up the victory in Game 1 when he allowed two runs, five hits, three walks and struck out seven over five innings. The 35-year-old was in such bad shape Monday that he was fitted with a neck brace to fly with the team to Houston but then woke up Tuesday morning feeling significantly better and warmed up in the bullpen in the seventh inning of Game 6. The three-time Cy Young Award winner will be making his third World Series start, having made his first in 2012 for the Detroit Tigers.

Greinke is making his fifth start of the postseason and second of this World Series. The 36-year-old gave up one run and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision in Game 3 when he struck out six and walked three. The Astros acquired Greinke from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the July 31 trade deadline with this kind of moment in mind and he had this to say about Game 7: "It's gonna be a big game."

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals manager Dave Martinez was ejected in the seventh inning of Game 6, the first skipper to be thrown out of a World Series game since Atlanta's Bobby Cox in Game 6 in 1996.

2. Houston OF George Springer doubled twice in Game 6 for his fourth two-hit game of the series and he is 8-for-23 with two homers, four RBIs, four doubles and six walks.

3. Washington C Kurt Suzuki (hip) is expected to play for the first time since being injured in Game 3.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Nationals 4