Turning Point
The Houston Astros seized control of the contest in the fourth inning, exploding for three runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. Nick Allen sparked the offensive surge with a single to left field that brought home two runs, followed by a sacrifice fly from Vázquez that added another. This four-run frame shifted the momentum entirely in Houston’s favor, turning a tight contest into a comfortable margin for the visiting club.
Scoring Summary
Washington had actually held a narrow 1-0 advantage early on when Wood launched a home run to right center in the first inning. The Nationals extended that lead to 2-1 in the third inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Abrams that scored Wood.
However, the Astros responded immediately in the second inning. Allen hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Walker, tying the game at 1-1. The offense remained quiet until the fourth-inning rally described above, which put Houston ahead 4-2.
The Astros added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Vázquez singled to right, allowing Dezenzo to score from first base while Allen moved to third. Jose Altuve then sealed the offensive output in the eighth inning with a home run to left center, making the score 6-2.
Washington managed a late response in the ninth inning when Tena hit a home run to right center, bringing the final score to 6-3.
