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How Nationals left Astros reeling to take control of World Series

HOUSTON -- It was just a few days ago when the Houston Astros opened up as the biggest World Series favorites since 2007.

Time to recalibrate those odds.

After beating Gerrit Cole in Game 1 and Justin Verlander in Game 2, the Washington Nationals are two wins away from a World Series championship and it's clear the Astros are in big trouble. Their big guns didn't shut down the Nationals' offense, the Astros haven't really hit all postseason, manager A.J. Hinch did something he hadn't done all season, and even the usually reliable Houston defense fell apart at exactly the wrong time.