Tonight's game was a pitching-duel between Justin Verlander and Luis Severino in the first four innings.
In that span, Verlander struckout four and gave up three hits, while Severino struckout three and gave up only one basehit.
Besides that, no runner got into scoring position!
In the top of the first inning, Brett Gardner led off for the Yankees with a single off of Justin Verlander, but he was eliminated when next hitter Aaron Judge grounded into a double play.
New York again its lead-off hitter on base in the second inning when Gary Sánchez led off with a single.
But he was left behind, as Verlander struckout two of the next three hitters.
In the top of the third, the Yankees got another baserunner.
With one out, Chase Headley singled, but hereafter, Brett Gardner flied out and Aaron Judge struckout to end the at bat.
Verlander then held the Yankees off the bases for the first time in the fourth inning, retiring the side.
He again got three consecutive outs in the fifth, including two strikeouts to raise his total to six.
Yankee-starter Luis Severino retired the side in the first inning, but then walked Yulieski Gurriel with one out in the second.
He stranded, as a strikeout and flyout followed.
Severino retired the side again in the third inning.
In the fourth, Severino retired the first two batters, which included a strikeout for José Altuve, but then gave up the first Houston-basehit when Carlos Correa singled.
He also was left behind, as Yulieski Gurriel lined out to centerfield.
In the bottom of the fifth, Houston was the first team to no only get a runner in scoring position, but also scored first when Severino ran into problems.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Alex Bregman, who then moved to second base on a grounder by Marwin Gonzalez.
Moments later, Evan Gattis also walked, then former Yankee Brian McCann followed with a runscoring, ground-rule double.
With runners on second and third base, the bases got loaded when George Springer also walked.
Hereafter, Josh Reddick flied out to centerfield and with that, he was 0-for-20 in this Series.
That brought José Altuve in the batter's box.
Altuve, who had 204 basehits in the regular season and is a prime candidate for the MVP Award, went after the first pitch he saw and hit a line drive double into leftfield to bring in two runners and lift the lead to 3-0.
That led to the departure of Severino, who was relieved by Chad Green, who got an inning-ending pop-up.
In the top of the sixth inning, New York also got its first runner in scoring position.
Chase Headley led off with a single, but hereafter Brett Gardner popped out.
Hereafter, Verlander struckout Aaron Judge again.
With that, the powerhitter had struckout 26 times (!) this postseason to tie the record, which was set in 2003 by Alfonso Soriano, who then also played for the Yankees.
With two outs, Headley moved into scoring position when Didi Gregorius contacted well and singled on the first delivery from Verlander.
But the two runners were left behind Gary Sánchez grounded out on a 3-0 count.
...Alex Bregman hit a 2-run double...
...and scored twice for Houston...
...On the photo, Bregman plays for Team USA...
...in the Haarlem Baseball Week 2014 in...
...Haarlem (Netherlands) where he was the MVP...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Chad Green again did well in the bottom of the sixth.
With two outs, he walked Marwin Gonzalez, but then closed by striking out Evan Gattis.
In the top of the seventh inning, Justin Verlander issued his first free passes.
He walked lead-off hitter Greg Bird, then hit Starlin Castro with a pitch.
The pitch on Castro initially was ruled a ball, but that was reversed after a challenge.
Verlander then three three consecutive balls on next hitter Aaron Hicks.
A strike followed, then another strike was called on an apparent outside pitch, which also could have led to another walk.
On the next pitch, Hicks hit the ball down the rightfield-line for a possible homerun, but it curved foul.
Hicks then struckout, but Verlander needed 10 pitches to do so.
Hereafter, Todd Frazier drilled the ball into deep centerfield for what appeared to become a 3-run homerun.
However, centerfielder George Springer sprinted backwards, jumped up and caught the ball just in front of the wall to save Verlander's evening!
The inning ended and two runners were left behind when Chase Headley grounded out.
In the bottom of the seventh, Chad Green retired the side, including strikeouts for George Springer and Josh Reddick (who now as 0-for-21).
With a 3-0 lead, Brad Peacock took over from Justin Verlander in the top of the eighth inning.
Lead-off hitter Brett Gardner hit a long drive into foul territory in leftfield, where Marwin Gonzalez made a great catch, while running into the wall.
Hereafter, Aaron Judge, who was 0-for-3 off of Verlander with two strikeouts, hit a homerun into deep left-centerfield to make it a 3-1 score.
This was his third homerun in the Series.
Didi Gregorius, who has been very productive in the Series, then flied out.
Peacock closed with a strikeout for Gary Sánchez.
Houston got the run back immediately in the bottom of the eighth when José Altuve led off with a homerun off of new pitcher David Robertson.
Altuve had hit three homeruns on October 5 in the opener of the ALDS against Boston Red Sox.
The problems weren't over yet for Robertson, as Carlos Correa doubled and Yulieski Gurriel singled to put runners at the corners.
Hereafter, it was Alex Bregman, who drove the ball into deep centerfield for a double, which brought in Correa.
Gurriel also was waved home, while Didi Gregorius threw the ball towards catcher Gary Sánchez, who got no control of it and saw it jump away from him.
Bregman was credited with a 2-run double and advanced to third base on what was scored as a throwing error by Gregorius.
Hereafter, Dellin Betances was brought in as new pitcher.
He began with a strikeout, but then gave up a sacrifice fly to Evan Gattis, that increased the lead to 7-1.
Closer Ken Giles took the mound for the Astros in the top of the ninth inning.
With one out, the righthander gave up a single to Starlin Castro, then walked Aaron Hicks.
Hereafter, Todd Frazier flied out and Giles then closed the game by striking out Chase Headley.
And with that, the Astros forced a seventh and deciding game!
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Houston forces 7th game after convincing win against Yankees
HOUSTON, Texas (USA) -
Houston Astros recorded a convincing 7-1 win against New York Yankees on Friday-evening (October 20) in Game 6 of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series to even it at 3-3 and force a seventh and deciding game.
Tonight, Houston again relied much on veteran righthander Justin Verlander, who came from the Detroit Tigers just before the trade deadline ended on August 31.
Verlander was acquired for this reason, pitching crucial games for the Astros.
Since joining the Astros, Verlander was unbeaten, winning eight games, including three in the postseason.
He recorded four of the wins at home.
Tonight, Verlander won again, but needed some assistance from his defence, including game-saving catch by centerfielder George Springer.