Rendon, Strasburg power Nationals past Astros, force Game 7

The World Series will go to a seventh game.

Adam Eaton and Juan Soto hit solo homers in the fifth inning off laboring Houston Astros starter Justin Verlander to put the Washington Nationals ahead. Anthony Rendon later added a two-run homer and a two-run double, and the Nationals won 7-2, setting up Wednesday’s deciding game.

Max Scherzer, who was scratched from his scheduled Game 5 start because of nerve irritation in his left shoulder, will start Game 7 and face the Astros’ Zack Greinke.

The biggest explosion came before Rendon’s homer in the seventh.

Washington manager Dave Martinez was ejected after a volatile argument in which he was restrained from getting at umpire crew chief Gary Cederstrom.

The trouble started in the top of the seventh when speedy Nationals leadoff man Trea Turner was called out for interference. He hit a tapper down the third-base line, and plate umpire Sam Holbrook said Turner was out for running outside the line.

It was a big call because catcher Robinson Chirinos’ throw had gotten away, leaving runners at second and third.

Martinez came on the field to shout at Holbrook but left fairly soon.

There was a delay of over 4¹⁄₂ minutes while umpires got on the headsets with the replay room. Part of the discussion was whether the play was reviewable — rather, it was an umpire’s judgment, which cannot be challenged.

After the top of the seventh ended, Martinez came on the field to talk to Holbrook and Cederstrom. Suddenly, Martinez got agitated, and bench coach Chip Hale had to hold him back.

The Nationals wound up taking a 5-2 lead on a two-run homer by Rendon off reliever Will Harris.

Rendon got the scoring started with an RBI single that put Washington ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. The run, set up when Turner was ruled safe on a replay reversal, extended Verlander’s early woes. He has given up runs in the first inning of six postseason starts this month.

The Astros quickly bounced back. George Springer hit a double on Stephen Strasburg’s first delivery, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly to the warning track.

With two outs, Alex Bregman hit a homer to deep left. He trotted with his bat past the bag at first, dropped it in the dirt and continued around the bases.

Strasburg, after the shaky start, was nearly untouchable. He worked 8¹⁄₃ innings, giving up just the two runs on two hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Sean Doolittle came in to record the final two outs, but Strasburg’s effort saved the Nationals’ bullpen for Game 7.

Verlander remains without a win in his World Series career. In five innings, he gave up three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks.