HOUSTON – Coming off another sweep against the New York Mets and splitting the series against the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros continue to show the nation why they are one of the best baseball teams in baseball.
In this crucial nine-game stretch against both New York teams, the Astros are 6-2 heading into today’s makeup game against the team the best record in a baseball, the New York Yankees.
The Yankees and Astros were supposed to play earlier this season, but due to the lockout, they had to reschedule to a later date. This game features the No. 1 and No. 2 records in the American League.
The Yankees are coming off a four-game winning streak in which all of them have been come-from-behind victories, including a walk-off home run by Aaron Judge against the Astros last time they faced each other.
This game was supposed feature an elite pitchers duel between Justin Verlander vs. Gerrit Cole, instead it become a game of Luis’s. The Astros right-hander Luis Garcia pitches against Yankees right-hander Luis Severino. The Astros defeated the Yankees 3-1 in the last matchup despite Severino’s quality start in which he gave up three runs, five hits and had seven strikeouts.
A sellout crowd of 40,674 fans came to the ballpark, giving the game a playoff atmosphere. Luis Garcia would only walk Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo in the first inning. Luis Severino would give up one hit in the bottom of the first to Aledmys Diaz single to centerfield. Both pitchers would have 1-2-3 inning in the second inning. Things got interesting in the third inning as Yankees Joey Gallo would walk, DJ LeMahieu singled into centerfield, leaving runners on first and second with only one out. The Yankees AL MVP candidate Aaron Judge would flyout to center and then Anthony Rizzo would strike out keeping score tied 0-0.
The bottom of the third started as Astros centerfielder Jake Myers doubled to deep center. Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve would both line-out, leaving Myers on second base with two outs. Severino would then walk Aledmys Diaz and Kyle Tucker to load up the bases. Third baseman Alex Bregman made the offensive play of the play of the game. Bregman nearly hit a home run left field, hitting the Crawford boxes wall to bring in Meyers and Diaz to give the Astros a 2-0 lead over the Yankees. Kyle Tucker went to third on Bregman’s hit, Severino was having problems with PitchCom earpiece and did not call time to umpire. Because Severino did not call time and was distracted by the PitchCom, Tucker decided to steal home, but Severino saw him coming and threw to home in time to get Tucker out.
Garcia would give up one hit in the top of the fourth to Jose Trevino, Severino would have a 1=2-3 inning in the fourth and fifth. The Astros were still holding onto the lead against the Yankees. In the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees would finally get on the board Anthony Rizzo would a solo home run to right field (358ft). After giving up the home run to Rizzo, Astros skipper Dusty Baker decided to call it a night for Garcia. Garcia ended with six strikeouts, three hits and one run in six innings.
Astros Right-handed pitcher Ryan Stanek came in the game and he only gave up one hit to Giancarlo Stanton and a walk to Gleyber Torres. The Yankees could not capitalize with two men on base.
Serevino would finish with a quality start of two runs allowed, three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Every game between the Astros and Yankees this season has been close. Yankees right-hander Ron Marinaccio and Albert Abreu would retire Astros batters in the seventh and eighth inning.
The Astros bullpen right-hander Hector Nedris would have 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Astros right-hander Rafael Montero in the top eigth would get the first two Yankees batters and then only give up one hit to Stanton. Yankees Aaron Hicks came into run for Stanton, but Montero would strike out Josh Donaldson.
Astros right-hander Ryan Pressely entered the game and had himself a 1-2-3 inning, striking out hometown player Matt Carpenter top of the ninth to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees.
The Houston Astros finished this nine-game stretch against both New York teams 7-2, (3-2 against the Yankees), to improve to 48-27 on the season for the second-best overall record in baseball. The New York Yankees drop to 56-21, but still have the ML’s best record. Yankees’ Giancarlo Staton went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles, recorded his 14th multi-hit game of the season. Aaron Judge went 0 for 4 against the Astros, DJ LaMahieu went 1 for 4 and has reached base in 10-consective games, and Anthony Rizzo went 1 for 3 with his 10th home run this month.
The Astros starting pitchers have combined 1.12 ERA, which is the lowest in the Majors against the Yankees this season. Astros centerfielder Jake Myers went 1 for 3 with a double and RBI.
The Astros will take on AL West opponent Los Angeles Angels in a three-game series while the Yankees will travel to Cleveland to face to the Guardians in a three-game series starting Friday night.
Written by James Leyva