Matijevic, Astros Walk-Off in Game One of Double-Header Against Yankees

HOUSTON – The 2022 All-Star break is over, and it’s time to get back to baseball for all 30 MLB teams.

For the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees, they are both on a path to finishing in the top two seeds in the MLB playoff bracket, which means the pressure and expectations are through the roof. The Astros and Yankees have already met five times this season in which the Astros have a 3-2 record over the Yankees. All games so far have been close, of three runs or less, and have a playoff-like atmosphere. This series features a doubleheader which makes up the games that were supposed to be played earlier in the season but could not be due to the MLB lockout. This showdown is between the two best teams in the American League.

Game 1 in this doubleheader features Astros right-hander pitcher Cristian Javier (3-2, 3.22ERA) against Yankees left-hander pitcher Jordan Montgomery (3-2, 3.26 ERA). Javier started a little nervous, walking D.J. LeMahieu and hitting Aaron Judge, leaving two men on base, however, he would get out of the inning unscathed in the top of the first. In the bottom of the first, the Astros hitters would get the game going by playing short ball as Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena reached on base with bunt hits. Kyle Tucker struck out swinging, and Alex Bregman singled through second base, bringing Altuve home as the Astros got on the board first, leading 1-0.

In the bottom of the second, Astros hitter Mauricio Dubon walked, rookie catcher/ hitter Korey Lee doubled off Montgomery into left field, and Dubon would race all the way home to extend the lead for the Astros 2-0. The Yankees threatened to get back into the ball game in the next inning. D.J. LeMahieu walked, Anthony Rizzo singled to right center field, and Javier walked Aaron Judge to load the bases with no outs. Javier struggled to find his control on his pitches, but the Astros’ defense would help bail him out. Hometown player Elkins High School Alum, former St. Louis Cardinal, and now New York Yankees hitter Matt Carpenter steps up to the plate. He lined out to first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who caught the ball off Carpenter and then would tag first base to get Judge out for a double play. It would be the defensive play of the game for the Astros as the Yankees would fail to capitalize with men in scoring position. The Yankees would get on the board in the top of fifth as LeMahieu homered to right field (343ft) to make it 2-1 Astros.

Both pitchers on each team would have settled down and tried to outperform each other for the rest of the game. Astros pitch Cristian Javier would finish with one run, two hits, four walks, and three strikeouts in five innings. Yankees pitcher Jordan Montgomery would finish with two runs on seven hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts in six-plus innings. The Astros are still leading a close game against the Yankees 2-1 until the top of the ninth.

In the final inning, the Astros pitching reliever Hector Neris comes in, and the Astros defense had a chance to end the game on a double play but did not. Aaron Hicks singled right, and Giancarlo Stanton grounded to Jeremy Pena, but Pena did not throw to second base instead, he threw to first to get Stanton, leaving one out remaining for the Yankees. The Yankees now have a runner in scoring position with two outs and one last chance to tie or take the lead. Yankees hitter Isiah Kiner-Falefa pinch hit for Marwin Gonzales singled to left field. Hicks would score and tie the game 2-2. Neris walked Joey Gallo to put the go-ahead runner on first. The Yankees are now in a position to take the lead, LaMahieu, who homered early in the game, would end up grounding to second, leaving the game tied. The Yankees left six men on base this game.

Another game between the Yankees and the Astros comes down to the last half inning. The Astros have had ten last-at-bat wins so far this season and have several famous walk-off wins going back to 2017 against the Yankees. Alex Bregman starts with a single, followed by Aledmys Diaz double to left to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Astros skipper Dusty Baker would bring in Yordan Alvarez, who has been out with right-hand injury before the All-Star break, to pinch hit for Dubon, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Yankees skipper Aaron Boone decides to walk him, and that would load the bases. Yuli Gurriel and Chas McCormick would strike out and it would come down to one last at bat for the Astros. Rookie hitter J.J. Matijevic would pinch hit for Korey Lee. Matijevic broke his bat as he would hit an infield single to shortstop bring in Bregman home, and the Astros get another walk off win 3-2 against the Yankees.

This victory for the Houston Astros over the New York Yankees gives them the season series and improved their record 4-2. It also moves them to 3.5 games behind the Yankees for the best record in AL.

J.J. Matijevic gets his first walk-off hit of his career and the last one since Yordan Alvarez’s walk-off home run against the Kansas City Royals, 7-6 on July 4. The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees will play one more game this regular season. Astros right-hand pitcher Luis Garcia will get the start against Yankees right-hander Domingo German. The last time Garcia faced the Yankees, he struck out six hitters and helped the Astros win 2-1.

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