A familiar face to Game 7 this year was on the mound for the Nationals at Minute Maid Park. Max Scherzer started for Washington and pitched five innings. Washington got three runs in the seventh, and tacked on an insurance run in the eighth and two in the ninth.

The Pirates were in the World Series for the first time in 16 years. In an era where power hitters were beginning to dominate the game, their team was a throw-back. Seven of their eight regulars batted over .300. They depended on speed and finesse.