The Astros beat the Yankees decisively 5-0 on Saturday night in the Bronx giving them a commanding 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series. It took five pitchers to throw a three-hit shutout with two of the hits coming in the ninth inning. Christian Javier picked up the win with five-and-a-third innings of one-hit baseball. He struck out five and walked three.
Chas McCormick hit a two-run jack in the second and the Astros added three in the sixth including a two-run single from catcher Christian Vasques, who added a throw out at second base as well. The story remains pitching with the Astros striking out the Yankees 42 times in three games, while they were able to get to starter and former Astro Garrit Cole for five runs (three earned) over five innings. Game 4 is Sunday where the Astros pitch Lance McCullers, Jr. going for the sweep.
WINNERS
Chas McCormick
The Astros center fielder scored the only runs the Astros needed to beat the Yankees with a two-run shot in the second inning. McCormick now has two home runs in the ALCS and is hitting 5-16 with three RBIs and four runs scored in the postseason. The center field spot has been cloudy all season, but McCormick hung in there and has proven he deserves the spot in the field and in the lineup.
Jose Altuve streak buster.
Jose Altuve finally broke out of his streak. He was 0-25 to start the playoffs — a postseason record — before doubling in the fifth. Fact is, Altuve has been better in the ALCS making hard contact and drawing a walk, but the Astros have managed to win without their star second baseman contributing at the plate. Altuve is a streak hitter and it may only take one hit to get him going. The Astros offense could use the help at the moment.
Astros trade dividends.
Trey Mancini has struggled since joining the team at the trade deadline. Christian Vasquez, on the other hand, has had a tough time breaking into the lineup with veteran Martin Maldonado in front of him. In game three, both came through in the sixth with a sac fly from Mancini and a two-run single from Vasquez. The catcher added a caught stealing as well. It was good to see the recent acquisition contribute to a postseason win.
Pitching. Pitching. Pitching.
Christian Javier was brilliant in New York yet again. He was followed by a series of his teammates out of the bullpen for a three-hit shutout. Hector Neris, Ryne Stanek (hey, a sighting!), Hunter Brown, Rafael Montero and Bryan Abreu followed Javier allowing two hits and two walks while striking out six. Stanek, who had yet to throw in series, struck out the side. The Astros have been the most dominant pitching staff in baseball and that continues in the ALCS.
LOSERS
Outfield communication.
In two separate instances on Saturday night, outfielders miscommunicated leading to balls that probably should have been caught. In the second, Vasquez reached on an error by Harrison Bader which set up McCormick’s two run dinger. In the ninth, Mauricio Dubon, who was inserted for defensive purposes, and Yordan Alvarez misplayed a ball that probably should have been an out. This series has had a number of miscues and Game 3 was no exception. It didn’t hurt the Astros, but it certainly hurt the Yankees.
Gerrit Cole the jerk.
Cole gave short and almost condescending answers regarding Framber Valedez after Game 2. In Game 3, he got rocked for five runs and was frustrated to get pulled after the fifth inning and 96 pitches. “I’m about as frustrated as you can get,” he said after the game, a series of curt statements to the media. The Astros have been good against their former teammate and he honestly has no one to blame but himself.
Yankees power hitting.
Talk about a power outage. The Yankees have thrived on the big inning and the long ball, but the Astros have been absolutely masterful in preventing both. The Astros have given up two solo shots, both in Game 1, to the league’s best power hitting ballclub. And the Yanks have been flummoxed as to how to change it. They are just not a great contact hitting team and that weakness has been exploited in rather dramatic fashion on the series.
“We want Houston” chant.
After the Yankees dispatched the Guardians, fans could be heard chanting “We want Houston.” Perhaps that was a mistake.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2022.
