The big bats and strong pitching that powered the Houston Astros to the best record in major league baseball this season appear to be back.
The Astros stormed back for their second win in two nights with an 8-1 triumph over Washington in Game 4 of the World Series, evening the best-of-7 series at two games apiece.
Game 5 will be played Sunday night in Washington.
Houston received a remarkable starting effort from rookie pitcher Jose Urquidy, who shut out the Nationals and limited them to two hits in a five-inning start that was the best of any pitcher in the series so far.
Urquidy is just the fourth rookie in the last 30 years to throw a scoreless start in the World Series.
Alex Bregmen set a World Series record for third basemen with five RBI during a three-hit effort including a grand slam that punctuated Houston's 13-hit attack.
The Astros, who were a major-league best 31-19 against left-handed starters during the regular season, recovered some of their mojo against southpaws in Game 4. Before Saturday night, Houston was hitting a collective .167 against lefties.
But everything that appeared to have gone wrong in the Astros' opening two losses in the series were turned around again on Saturday.
Houston started early on Saturday, scoring two runs against starter and losing pitcher Patrick Corbin in the first inning.
They added two more runs in the fourth inning on a homer by Robinson Chirinos, his second of the series.
Bregman, the leading candidate for the American League MVP, added a grand slam in the seventh, finishing off a five-RBI night.
Washington challenged after two walks in the sixth chased Houston reliever Josh James. Anthony Rendon's infield out plated the Nationals' first run, but Houston escaped further damage when Will Kendrick struck out Howie Kendrick to end the inning.
After much early sucess in the series, the National were 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position in Games 3 and 4.
Bregman, who had been struggling in the Series before Saturday, iced the victory with a deep blast in the seventh, prompting chants of "MVP, MVP" from Houston fans who attended the game at Nationals Park. It was the second World Series grand slam in franchise history as he joined Lance Berkman, who had one in 2005.
Saturday's game marked the first time since 1996 that the visiting team has won the first four games of the World Series. The road team won the first five games in that series before the New York Yankees clinched the title with a Game 6 victory at home.
