By Joshua Garcia
A classic matchup between an immovable object and an unstoppable force was set after the New York Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins in what has become a yearly tradition and a Houston Astros struggle that saw them finish off the feisty Tampa Bay Rays in a deciding fifth game. In the much- anticipated rematch of the exciting seven game 2017 ALCS, the Yankees enter decidedly better than that 2017 team that watched the Astros celebrate the American League Pennant which led to them to their first and only World Championship.
When a ball club has such a heavy task in front of them such as the 107 regular season game winners in the Houston Astros with their top flight pitching staff, coupled with playing the first two games of the league championship series on the road, the best an opposition can hope for is to split games and come back home with the series tied. For the Yankees however, with the possibility to go up two games in the series late in game 2, and with the next three games to be played in the Bronx, the Yankees may live to regret allowing the Astros to steal game 2 and regain some momentum.
After dominating game 1 much in the same fashion they did against the Twins, the Yankees found it difficult to find hits against Justin Verlander in game 2 who looked like it was the mid 2000’s during his CY Young years, striking out seven and only giving up 2 earned runs on a homerun by Aaron Judge in just under 7 complete innings. Through the tough going against Verlander New York still managed to hold a 2-1 lead before two things changed the games outcome: a base-running error and two rare mistakes by the Yankee bullpen.
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The Yankees found themselves in one of the best attacks they have strung together in the young league championship series when, as it has in past seasons, base running blunders changed the flow of the game. Following the first of the two mistakes by the usually flawless Yankee bullpen, Adam Ottovino allowing the Astros to tie the game 2-2 on a George Springer homerun, the Yankees put together three big hits on Justin Verlander. New York would have been set up for bases loaded with 2 out and Gary Sanchez at the dish, but instead as Jose Altuve booted the hard hit single by Brett Gardner, DJ LeMaheiu bolted toward home plate when Astros shortstop Carlos Correa picked up the ball fired a perfect strike to the catcher to get DJ out by 4 steps.
Joe Buck immediately claimed it on the broadcast as a great decision to run in that situation with concern to LaMaheiu and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin, but taking the bat out of one of the best hitters hands in the Yankee lineup with bases full and Verlander on the ropes sounds better than risking one run for four, sorry Joe. The game would stay tied into extra innings as both teams played a waiting game of chicken, seeing who would make the first mistake leading to the winning run. In the 11th inning JA Happ made that mistake on a fastball to the young Puerto Rican phenom Carlos Correa who did not miss it and fulfilled his pregame prediction of hitting a walk off for his team in a 3-2 game 2 victory for Houston.
All eyes will be on the Bronx as the Yankees look to use their raucous home crowd in the attempt to take hold of this 1-1 knotted up ALCS. Luis Severino will take the ball for New York while Gerrit Cole looks to continue the legacy he is writing as a Houston Astro entering these playoffs being a 20 game winner with an ERA of 2.50. They played Tuesday with heavy rain expected Wednesday which could extend the series to Friday.
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