Astros tie the series at 2

He was Jose Luis Hernandez only one year ago, an anonymous pitcher among a plethora of power in Houston’s heralded farm system. Buried beneath a bevy of ballyhooed prospects, he changed his name and authored an unforeseen ascension. The apex arrived on Saturday, on a stage few assumed José Urquidy would ever take.

The unflappable rookie with a bushy beard and biting slider started his team’s takeover, turning this World Series back toward an Astros advantage. Given Game 4 of the World Series for his 11th major league appearance, Urquidy unnerved and unseated the $140 million offseason acquisition he opposed.

Urquidy neutralized a Nationals lineup like none of the three Astros aces who preceded him. Poise was apparent. Confidence flowed with each well-executed fastball or chased changeup.

Uncertainty about Urquidy’s wherewithal was assuaged. He fired five fabulous frames. Two baserunners reached against him. Only one passed first. On a night where so many Astros stars shined, Urquidy’s outing offered the sort of tone his team craved.

Houston tied the World Series with an 8-1 win against the Nationals, ensuring the tussle will return to Minute Maid Park for Game 6 on Tuesday.

Urquidy was unflappable. He attacked the strike zone with little fear of hard contact he may yield, trusting the defense at his back. Forty-five of the 67 pitches he threw were strikes. Equal use of both his slider and changeup kept Washington off balance.

Urquidy’s four-seam fastball featured plenty of hop. It averaged 94.5 mph. He reached back for 96 mph to get Juan Soto swinging in the fourth, eliciting the only emotion Urquidy unleashed all evening. He slapped his glove and began a saunter around the mound.

He yielded just two hits — a two-out single to Anthony Rendon in the first and a leadoff double to Yan Gomes in the third, turning what many perceived to be a one-sided pitchers' duel on its head.

The Astros’ lineup struck a playoff-high 13 hits, hammering heralded Nationals starter Patrick Corbin and four relievers who followed. Alex Bregman banged the death knell in the seventh, striking the second postseason grand slam in franchise history to hand Houston a seven-run lead.

An Astro reached base in all but two innings. The lineup crushed Corbin, a man paid handsomely to provide an awesome start in games like this. No Astro had more than 10 major league plate appearances against Washington’s $140 million man.

Experience was not required to realize one truth — Corbin’s slider is among the sport’s best. The southpaw can spin the pitch in almost any count, but most often relies upon it to finish. Advancing ahead in counts was a distinct way to avoid it.

Four of the first five Astros he saw struck singles. They saw just seven pitches, determined to avoid disadvantaged counts when Corbin could spin the slider. Bregman and José Altuve ambushed first-pitch fastballs. Michael Brantley rifled a second-pitch slider to left-center field.

Yuli Gurriel struck a third-pitch offering for an infield single. Brantley scored. Urquidy worked with a lead before he even toed the rubber.

That he did is one of the Astros’ most sudden success stories. Urquidy underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016. He was Class AA Corpus Christi’s opening night starter this season, sharing a rotation with more heralded prospects he’s since passed.

Before the season, the Astros saddled Urquidy with a so-called “innings limit” to protect his surgically-repaired right arm. Despite an admirable showing in a few July spot starts, debate raged within the organization whether to reward Urquidy with a September call-up. He’d already exceeded the team’s work threshold.

“There were scenarios where if we had more confidence in other pitchers that we would have rested him,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said Saturday. “The reality is he continued to pitch well, he felt good.

Only two other Mexican-born pitchers had ever started a World Series game. No Astros rookie had ever done it. Urquidy’s 1.50 ERA in September suggested he could be the first. Wade Miley’s revolting end to the regular season only simplified the decision.

The Astros passed him over for traditional starts in each preceding postseason round, opting for a short-rest start from Justin Verlander in the ALDS and a bullpen game in the ALCS. Urquidy entered both. Calm amid calamity in both instances suggested the rookie was apt for a more meaningful assignment.

“I don't even know if I want to call this a bullpen game,” manager A.J. Hinch said, “because Urquidy is a starter.”

Expectations for Urquidy were modest but malleable. Before the game, Hinch cautiously committed to either five innings or 75 pitches. Either benchmark would be a boon for a bullpen that required four relievers to finish Game 3.

Urquidy ended the fifth at only 67 pitches. A handshake from Hinch often ends outings. The manager gave Urquidy knuckles as he entered the dugout.

Somewhat surprisingly, Hinch inserted reliever Josh James for the sixth, ending Urquidy’s splendid day. The top of Washington’s order loomed for a third look at Urquidy, something Hinch perhaps sought to avoid. James allowed the game’s lone run.