Washington entered the game without starters Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, or closer Daniel Hudson available for the game. It turns out, it didn’t matter. Howie Kendrick scored on a Yan Gomes double in the second inning. That would be all the scoring necessary for the Nationals to take a commanding 1-0 lead in the NLCS, as the Nationals can now turn to Scherzer, Strasburg, and Corbin on proper rest.
Anibal Sanchez turned back the clock and flashed 2013 form to open the NLCS against the St.