The New York Yankees have fallen for the second consecutive ALCS contest as they surrendered a walk-off double in the ninth inning.
- New York Yankees: 1 (0-2)
- Houston Astros: 2 (2-0)
- ALCS Game 2, FINAL, Box Score
- Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Justin Verlander was on his game, but it was late-inning heroics that drove the Houston Astros to a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees to give the Astros a 2-0 series lead in the 2017 American League Championship Series.
Runs were a hot commodity in the second game of this series, but the Astros struck first blood with the long ball. In the bottom of the fourth, shortstop Carlos Correa drove a pitch off the bat into the first row in right field off Yankees’ starter Luis Severino, giving his squad a 1-0 lead after the umpire crew confirmed no interference by a fan.
Looking for answers to Verlander, New York finally put together a rally in the top of the fifth. After the 34-year-old sent down Greg Bird and Starlin Castro via strikeouts, Aaron Hicks and Todd Frazier smacked back-to-back doubles, tying the game at one apiece.
Severino’s day was done after four innings of one-run ball thanks to what appeared to be an injury suffered on a Yuli Gurriel comebacker. Right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle relieved him and registered two innings of hitless work, ending his outing with a strikeout of Jose Altuve in the sixth.
Unfortunately for New York, Verlander didn’t lighten up on his filthiness. He struck out two in the sixth, two in the seventh, the side in the eighth to move his strikeout total to 13 and concluded his outing with a scoreless ninth.
Manager Joe Girardi called on closer Aroldis Chapman for the ninth in an attempt to keep the Astros at one and force extra innings in Houston.
After Altuve smacked a first-pitch offering into left field for a single, Carlos Correa drilled an extra-base hit into right field which allowed the speedy second baseman to score all the way from first to deliver a walk-off RBI to seal a 2-1 win for Houston.
Strikeout City:
With 13 strikeouts for Verlander, it marked the 20th time a starting pitcher has fanned at least 10 Yankees’ hitters in a postseason game. It also marked Verlander’s second appearance on the list, as he also accomplished the feat in Game 3 of the 2011 ALDS.
He also joined Carl Erskine, Sandy Koufax, and Cliff Lee as the only pitchers to strike out at least 13 Yankees’ hitters in a postseason game.
Play(s) Of The Day:
Astros’ right fielder Josh Reddick flashed the leather and showed off his cannon in the top of the third inning. On a deep drive to right by Yankees’ DH Chase Headley, Reddick robbed him of extra bases and his first hit of the postseason with a leaping catch up against the wall.
On the very next play, he showed off again.
Gardner ripped a line drive into the corner in right after a seven-pitch at-bat and attempted to stretch a double into a triple. Reddick played the carom perfectly, fired it into shortstop Carlos Correa, who nailed Gardner at third to end the frame.
This Day In Yankees’ History:
On Oct. 14, 2000, Roger Clemens tossed a one-hitter in the Yankees’ 5-0 win over the Mariners in Game 4 of the ALCS. Clemens became and remains the only pitcher in baseball history to strike out at least 15 batters and allow one hit or fewer in a postseason game.
What’s Next:
The series shifts to the Bronx, as the Yankees will host the Astros in Game 3 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium on Monday night as they look to cut the series lead in half.
It’ll be CC Sabathia going for New York coming off an outing in Game 5 of the ALDS. The veteran lefty took a no-decision in the decisive contest, after striking out nine over 4.1 innings of two-run ball. Charlie Morton will get the nod for Houston.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET and can be caught on FOX Sports 1 or on the radio at ESPN Radio and WFAN 660AM/101.9FM.