Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas went six innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out seven.

Sean Doolittle relieved Sánchez and recorded the final four outs, giving Washington the 2–0 win and a 1–0 lead in the series.

Sánchez had also been the starting pitcher in the most recent prior one-hitter in playoff history, Game 1 of the 2013 ALCS, coming against the Boston Red Sox when he played for the Detroit Tigers.

Paul DeJong scored the Cardinals' first run of the series in the eighth inning ahead of a double by José Martínez over Taylor's outstretched glove.

Hudson then retired the final two hitters on fly outs, the second a foul popup to first base, to record the save, his third this postseason.

Each team scored once in the seventh inning, yielding an 8–1 final score and giving Washington a commanding 3–0 lead in the series, as Tanner Rainey concluded matters by working the ninth, and retired Tommy Edman on a flyout to Juan Soto to win it.

Flaherty took the loss, while Strasburg was credited with the win, having allowed one run on seven hits while striking out 12 in seven innings.

The Nationals chased Hudson in the first inning by scoring seven runs on a sacrifice fly, double, and three singles.

For the night, Hudson pitched 1⁄3 of an inning, allowing seven runs (four earned) on five hits, one walk, and a dropped-throw error by second baseman Kolten Wong.

After hitting Molina with a pitch and walking Paul DeJong, Hudson retired the final four batters he faced, retiring Tommy Edman on a fly out to center fielder Victor Robles for the final out, to record his fourth save of this postseason.

The win sent the Nationals to the World Series for the first time in the franchise's 51-year history dating back to their founding as the Montreal Expos in 1969.