ALCS Game 6: Many key moments
By Bill Felber
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve’s walk-off homer settles a classic battle against the New York Yankees.
Not that there was ever much doubt, but for the record: Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve can hit a hanging slider.
The Astros’ leader proved it again Saturday, slamming a 2-1 hanger from Aroldis Chapman off the pillars in deep left field in the bottom of the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park. The final score was 6-4.
As American League champions, the Astros will host the first game of the World Series against the Washington Nationals Tuesday night.
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Altuve’s 407-foot blast ended what was easily the most dramatic game of this post-season to date. Houston came into the ninth inning trying to protect a 4-2 lead, only to see closer Roberto Osuna surrender a game-tying two-run home run to D.J. LeMahieu that cleared a leaping George Springer’s glove by one or two inches.
Anybody looking for moments that made a difference of one or two runs Saturday didn’t have to dig very deep. Here’s an inning-by-inning recap of several of those moments, which made Game 6 a second-guesser’s dream.
Bottom of the first. Chad Green, New York’s designated opener, surrendered a double to Altuve, then with two out very obviously pitched around cleanup hitter Alex Bregman, preferring to face Yuli Gurriel. Based purely on past performance, that made sense: Gurriel came into the at-bat 1-for-20.
But with Bregman and Altuve secure at first and second, Gurriel somehow hit a 96 mph high-inside fastball into the Crawford Boxes for a three-run home run. From that instant on, Houston would never trail.
Top of the second. Didi Gregorius doubled off Houston Astros starter Brad Peacock, and Gary Sanchez followed with a run-scoring single. After Gio Urshela drew a base on balls, Brett Gardner stood in against reliever Josh James with runners of his own at first and second.
But on a 1-2 count, Gardner took a pitch an inch off the plate that plate umpire Marvin Hudson called strike three. It would not be the last time the Yankees left a runner in scoring position.
Top of the third. With one out, Aaron Judge walked and Gleyber Torres singled him into scoring position. That brought up Aaron Hicks in position to replicate his three-run home run of Friday night. Instead, James coaxed a harmless fly ball to right.
That did not erase the moment’s drama, because James proceeded to walk Edwin Encarnacion, loading the bases. Astros manager A.J. Hinch called this time for Ryan Pressly, and Pressly got Gregorius to hit a weak ground ball back to him for the final out.
Top of the fourth. After Urshela homered off Jose Urquidy, Hinch’s fourth pitcher, to make the score 3-2, Gardner singled. But LeMahieu and Judge failed to move him.
Top of the sixth. With one out, Urquidy pitched around Sanchez and walked him on five pitches. Urshela followed with a base hit, but again the Yankees failed to capitalize. Reddick made a diving catch of Gardner’s sinking fly to short right.
Had the ball eluded Reddick’s glove, Sanchez and Urshela both would have scored and Gardner would have reached third base at least. As it was, LeMahieu grounded out to end the inning without any runs scoring. It marked the fourth and fifth time New York had stranded a runner in scoring position.
Bottom of the sixth. Altuve’s opening walk set up Houston’s third run, which scored when Michael Brantley singled him to third and Bregman produced a weak ground ball to short that left Gregorius with only a play at first.
Top of the seventh. Judge singled to open the inning, but Torres chased a pitch outside the strike zone and popped up. The next batter, Hicks, sent a short fly into left field that set Brantley into a full sprint. Like Reddick one inning earlier, he made a diving catch, and then Brantley recovered in time to double Judge off first base.
Top of the eighth. With one out, New York Yankees short top Didi Gregorius singled. The next batter, Sanchez, hit a high hopper to Houston Astros second baseman Altuve, who deftly turned it into an inning-ending double play.
Nationals need Max in game 1.. dark. Next
dAll of that was a prologue to LeMahieu’s ninth-inning game-tying home run, which as it turned out was a prologue to Altuve’s winner.