The Houston Astros move on to the World Series following their Game 7 win over the Yankees. Astros will meet the Dodgers after an ALCS that saw all 7 games won by the home team.
A Strong Start
Game 1 was a pitcher’s duel. Dallas Keuchel threw a masterpiece, giving up just 4 hits and striking out 10 in 7 shutout innings. Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel teamed up to bring home a pair of runs to give the Astros a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Masahiro Tanaka gave up just 2 runs in 6 innings, keeping the Yankee hopes alive. Despite Tanaka’s performance, the Yankees could not muster up enough offense in Game 1. Greg Bird homered in the ninth to shrink the lead by half, but it was too little, too late.
Justin Verlander led Houston through Game 2. Correa went deep with a home run in the fourth to give the Astros an early 1-0 lead. Todd Frazier brought Aaron Hicks home with an RBI double to tie the score an inning later. The score remained that way until the ninth inning. Correa collected his second RBI of the game with a walk off double off of Aroldis Chapman. Verlander pitched a complete game, giving up 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 13.
Mounting A Comeback
All the Yankees needed was some home cooking. CC Sabathia looked like the Sabathia of old. He pitched four innings and left the game to a more than capable bullpen, who held the Astros to a single run. On the other hand, New York’s offense went off. Both Aaron Judge and Frazier had 3 RBI, and Chase Headley contributed with an RBI. That all added up to a much needed 8-1 win for the Yankees.
The Yankees were on the ropes in Game 4. Yuli Gurriel cleared the bases for a 3-RBI double in the sixth and Marwin Gonzalez scored on an error in the seventh to open up a 4-0 Astro lead. Judge finally got the Yankees on the board with a home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh. They tacked on another run to cut the lead to 4-2. The Yankees took the lead with 4 runs in the eighth, highlighted by a 2-RBI double by Gary Sanchez, and the Yankees went on to win 6-4
Keuchel could not get out of the fifth inning in Game 6. The Yankees touched him up for 4 runs in 4.2 innings, which was more than enough. Tanaka pitched another brilliant game, going 7 shutout innings. The Yankees had come to New York down 2 games to none, but would leave with a 3 games to 2 lead.
Houston Strong
The Astros faced elimination at home. Luis Severino and Verlander met on the mound again. The ballgame sailed along for the first four innings. The Astros stroke first, as Brian McCann shot an RBI ground rule double to right field to put Houston up by one. In the same inning, Jose Altuve managed to bring him and Evan Gattis around to score. The home team was up 3-0. The eighth inning put the nails in the coffin, five of them to be exact. Altuve hit a home run, Alex Bregman had a 2 RBI double, and finally, an RBI sac fly by Gattis sealed the deal. Game 7, here we go.
Despite their apparent power, the Yankees did not show it all that much during postseason. Game 7 was no exception. Gattis opened the score for the Astros with a home run in the fourth. An inning later, Altuve did the same and McCann got himself a 2 RBI double to put Houston up 4-0. The Yankees were stopped flat in their tracks by a solid Charlie Morton and a surprisingly strong bullpen. Yankee season: over.
The Astros are headed to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series. Game 1 is on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 7:09 pm.