WASHINGTON: The
Washington Nationals reached the World Series for the first time in franchise
history on Tuesday after completing a 4-0 series sweep over the St. Louis
Cardinals. A blistering first inning laid the foundation for a 7-4 victory over
a Cardinals team who rallied in the fifth but were unable to overturn the
deficit.

Nats ace Patrick
Corbin fanned 12 batters through five innings before finally allowing four runs
as the Cardinals attempted to claw their way back into contention. The
Nationals will now play the winner of the American League Championship Series
-- either the Houston Astros or New York Yankees -- in game one of the World
Series next Tuesday.

The NL Championship
Series victory marked the latest chapter of an improbable season for
Washington, who were 19-31 earlier this year with little apparent hope of
reaching the playoffs. Prior to Tuesday's win, the Nationals were one of only
two Major League Baseball teams, along with the Seattle Mariners, who had never
reached a World Series. The Nationals had also carried a miserable postseason
record into the playoffs having never won a series before 2019.

"I can't put
this moment into words," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "Often
bumpy roads lead to beautiful places -- and this is a beautiful place,"
added Martinez, who only last month underwent a heart procedure. "These
guys back here cured my heart," Martinez said. "My heart feels great
right now. I can't wait to do this next week." A comeback win over
Milwaukee in the wild-card game then saw them advance to a dramatic NL Division
Series where they stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with an upset 3-2 series win
last week.

FIRST INNING
ONSLAUGHT

Three convincing
wins over St. Louis in the opening games of the NLCS had left them on the brink
of the World Series, and before an expectant Nationals Park on Tuesday they
were in no mood to be denied. With a sea of red-shirted fans roaring them om,
the Nats raced into a 7-0 lead in a disastrous first inning for the Cardinals.
Cards starting pitcher Dakota Hudson was given a brutal mauling, with Anthony
Rendon's sacrifice fly scoring Trea Turner to start the onslaught.

Juan Soto's sharp
line drive saw Adam Eaton scamper home for 2-0 before a misfield by Cardinals
second baseman Kolten Wong loaded the bases. Another fielding blunder by the
Cardinals -- Jose Martinez failing to collect a straightforward fly ball from
Victor Robles -- allowed Soto to score for 3-0.

Yan Gomes's
single then sent Howie Kendrick and Ryan Zimmerman home for 5-0, by which time
Cardinals manager Mike Shildt had seen enough, yanking Hudson off the mound for
Adam Wainwright.

Wainwright's
arrival did little to staunch the bleeding however, with Turner's single on a
line drive allowing Robles and Gomes to score for a 7-0 lead. Yadier Molina
homered for the Cardinals in the fourth to make it 7-1, before Harrison Bader
scored in the fifth. A Martinez double allowed Wong and Dexter Fowler to score
but the Nationals bullpen held firm to close out victory. The victory was sweet
for Nationals veteran Howie Kendrick, who was named series MVP after going 5
for 15 with four doubles and four RBI.

"All of the
blood, sweat and tears and grinding, the losses, the wins come down to this
moment," Kendrick said as he received his MVP award. "I can truly say
this is the best moment of my career." - AFP