HOUSTON — Howie Kendrick sure has a knack for the dramatic.
At 36 — eight years removed from his only All-Star appearance — his go-ahead, two-run homer off Will Harris in the seventh inning lifted the Washington Nationals over the Houston Astros 6-2 Wednesday night in Game 7 for his team’s first World Series title.
Steady-handed and battle-tested, Kendrick came through at the biggest moments of the Nationals’ October run.
“He’s been one of the heart and souls of this team,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.
Kendrick’s grand slam against Joe Kelly broke a 10th-inning tie in the decisive Game 5 of the Division Series, giving the Nationals a 7-3 win — just the second extra-inning slam in postseason history.