Suzuki sits again, but would catch Game 7 (Nats win 7-2)

HOUSTON - Though he's not in the lineup tonight for the third consecutive game, Kurt Suzuki is expected to return to the Nationals lineup and catch Max Scherzer if the World Series is extended to Game 7.

Suzuki, who suffered a right hip flexor injury during Game 3 on Friday, said Monday he was getting better and hoped he'd be ready to start Game 6 tonight. But manager Davey Martinez elected to go with Yan Gomes, who will catch Stephen Strasburg and try to extend the season one more day.

"Kurt is doing better," Martinez said. "He came in yesterday, got treatment, worked out, did some running. And he felt better than he did the day before."

Suzuki would be available to pinch-hit or even catch tonight if needed.

The goal, though, seems to be to give him one more day of rest so he'd be available to catch Scherzer if there's a winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday night.

"Barring nothing happens come tomorrow, I'm going to talk to him in the morning and see how he's feeling," Martinez said. "And if he's up to it, yeah, he'll catch Game 7, catch Max."

Suzuki has caught Scherzer, Strasburg and Aníbal Sánchez throughout the vast majority of the season, with Gomes typically catching Patrick Corbin. Gomes has proven to be the more effective hitter during the postseason, though, going 6-for-21 with two doubles and three RBIs in nine games entering tonight.

Suzuki has gone 3-for-30 with one homer and one RBI in 10 games.

Update: Well, this game is off to a wild start. The Nationals, desperate to take an early lead, did just that when Trea Turner legged out an infield single (with help from instant replay), took second on an Adam Eaton sacrifice bunt (sigh) and scored on Anthony Rendon's two-strike RBI single through the open right side of the infield. That's just what the doctor ordered. Except the Astros stormed right back in the bottom of the first, and they didn't play small ball to do it. George Springer ambushed Strasburg's first pitch fastball and hammered it off the left field wall for a leadoff double. Strasburg's next pitch was in teh dirt, allowing Springer to take third. Jose Altuve then lofted a ball to left for a sacrifice fly that tied the game. Two batters later, the game was no longer tied. Alex Bregman destroyed a center-cut fastball from Strasburg and carried his bat all the way past first base before finally dropping it in fair territory. Just like that, the Astros retook a 2-1 lead, and though Strasburg has settled down since, so too has Justin Verlander.

Update II: The Nationals were getting good pitches to hit. They just needed to square a couple up. Well, they sure squared a couple up in the top of the fifth. Eaton and Juan Soto each belted solo homers to stun the crowd and give the Nats a 3-2 lead. Eaton, denied an opportunity to bunt again since nobody was on base, crushed a slider to right for his second homer of the series. Two batters later, Soto somehow turned on a high-and-tight 96 mph fastball and sent the ball flying 413 feet into the second deck in right. He then carried his bat almost all the way to first base and handed it to Tim Bogar in a not-so-subtle respone to Bregman. What a moment. And what a game this has become, the Nationals up 3-2 heading to the sixth.

Update III: Gomes led off the seventh with a single to right, but the Nationals' hopes for a big inning briefly evaporated with a dribbler to the third base side of the mound by Turner. Pitcher Brad Peacock fielded the ball and fired to first, where the throw reached Yuli Gurriel at the same time Turner was crossing the base. Gurriel lost his glove and the ball bounced behind the bag with Gomes scampering to third and Turner reaching second. But home plate umpire Sam Holbrook ruled that Turner ran to the inside of the line and called him out for interference, making the play a dead ball with Turner called out and Gomes required to return to first. A lengthy review in New York confirmed the call, leaving the visiting dugout incensed. Will Harris relieved Peacock, and after Eaton popped to third, Rendon hammered a 1-0 pitch into the left field stands for a two-run homer for a 5-2 lead. Strasburg is out for the bottom of the seventh, but Davey Martinez was ejected for arguing between the innings.

Update IV: Rendon doubled in two more runs in the top of the ninth and has a five-RBI night. The Nats lead 7-2.

Update V: Strasburg exited after getting the first out of the bottom of the ninth. Strasburg allowed five hits and a run, walking two and striking out seven. He threw 104 pitches, 65 for strikes.

Sean Doolittle relieved and worked around a two-out double by Carlos Correa to get Rohinson Chirinos to pop out for the final out.

The Nationals will play in Game 7 tomorrow.