HOUSTON (AP) Justin Verlander will follow Gerrit Cole and start Game 2 of the World Series for Houston against Washington on Wednesday.

Zack Greinke will start for the Astros on Friday when the Series resumes at Nationals Park.

"Greinke gets to hit. That's going to be fun for him," Astros manager AJ Hinch said Monday.

Read More...

HOUSTON (AP) Howie Kendrick is in the postseason for the eighth time in his 14 major league seasons, having played in October for three different teams. This time, he is finally on a World Series team.

"This is a dream come true," the 36-year-old utilityman, who has been in 43 playoff games, said Monday before the Washington Nationals worked out in Houston. "Been in the playoffs many times, and this is truly special."

HOUSTON (AP) Anthony Rendon vividly remembers his one visit to the Astrodome as a child to see the Houston Astros and his beloved Killer B's.

"I was really young at that time but that memory still sticks in my head," the Washington Nationals star said.

WASHINGTON (AP) NL MVP candidate Anthony Rendon surveyed his teammates scattered around the Nationals Park diamond, whoopin' it up after clinching a World Series berth.

There were starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez, each 35 - and each responsible for taking a no-hit bid into at least the seventh inning as Washington won Games 1 and 2 of the NL Championship Series. So was Howie Kendrick, 36, the second baseman who earned NLCS MVP honors with four doubles and four RBIs in the sweep. And Ryan Zimmerman, 35, the first baseman slugging .484 this postseason.

HOUSTON (AP) The Latest on the World Series (all times local):

3:05 p.m.

Eric Cooper, the Major League Baseball umpire who worked the AL Division Series two weeks ago, has died. He was 52.

Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Cooper's death Sunday.

Now this is a serious World Series throw-down.

Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke vs. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin - all of them All-Star starters, still pitching at their peak.

HOUSTON (AP) Jose Altuve, the 5-foot-6 driving force of Houston, delivered a swing that will play in Astros' highlights forever.

Altuve homered off Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the ninth inning and Houston outlasted the New York Yankees 6-4 Saturday night to advance to the World Series for the second time in three years.

HOUSTON (AP) Gerrit Cole could be seeing a lot more of the New York Yankees real soon.

While there was no Game 7 for the Astros' ace to face the Yankees in the AL Championship Series, could he start New York's opener at Baltimore on March 26?