The New York Yankees picked up a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the American League Championship series last night. The win by the Yankees allows the series to continue, but they are still just won game away from elimination. The Astros hold a three games to two lead in the series.
Game 5 saw the Yankees send out James Paxson as their starting pitcher while the Astros countered with Justin Verlander. Both of these pitchers started game 2 of this series, but neither was around for the decision as the Astros on that game 3-2 in 11 innings. Paxson was looking to bounce back from an outing where he lasted 2 1/3rd innings. Verlander was solid in Game 2 going 6 2/3rds for Houston.
Game 5 played out a little differently for these two pitchers and it can only be described as odd or maybe weird, but definitely different.
George Springer led off the game with a single. Springer advanced to 2nd base in what was ruled a passed ball on Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez. Jose Altuve grounded out for the first out of the inning with Springer moving over to 3rd base. Michael Brantley drew a walk to out runners on 1st and 3rd for Alex Bregman. The first pitch that Paxson threw to Bregman went to the backstop as a wild pitch allowing Springer to score giving the Astros a 1-0 lead; Brantley to move up to 2nd base. Bregman ended up lining out to leftfield. Yuli Gurriel made the final out of the inning for the Astros by lining out to centerfield; so the Astros took that 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 1st inning.
Houston’s lead didn’t last long as D.J. LeMahieu hit the second pitch he saw from Verlander into the rightfield bleacher to tie the game at 1-1. Aaron Judge followed tat with a single and after a Gleybar Torres double the Yankees had 2nd and 3rd with just o outs. Giancarlo Stanton was returning to the Yankees line up and battling a quad strain; he struck out for the 1st out of the inning. Aaron Hicks was up next for the Yankees. Hicks had also just recently returned from injury. Hicks after two quick strikes Hicks managed to work the count full. He then hit the 6th pitch of his at bat which was a hanging slider from Verlander off the rightfield foul pole for a three-run home run to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead. Gary Sanchez struck out and Didi Gregorius popped out to end the inning.
I’m sure after reading this you’ve realized that the score was 4-1 after the 1st inning and that the final score of the game was 4-1. Yes you are correct about that. It was the first time in post season history that both teams have scored in the 1st inning and then failed to score again in the game.
Both pitchers settled down after that 1st inning and Verlander actually only gave up one more hit in the game, but still took the loss. Verlander ending up pitching 7 innings. He gave up 4 runs on 5 hits while he struck out 9 throwing 105 pitches. Paxson greatly improved on his Game 2 start as he pitched 6 innings giving up just the 1 run on 4 hits while walking 4 and striking out 9 in getting the win. Paxton’s pitch count ended up at 112 pitches.
After Paxson Tommy Kahnle pitched 1/3rd of an inning allowing a hit and a walk. Zach Britton was next out of the Yankees bullpen. Britton went 1 2/3rds striking out 2 batters before giving way to the Yankees Closer Arlodis Chapman who picked up the save pitching the final inning of the game. Chaman threw just 9 pitches 7 of which where strikes and recorded 1 strikeout as he recorded the save.
The Astros just needed one pitcher out of their bullpen. Brad Peacock came into the game to pitch a 1,2,3 bottom of the 8th. Peacock recorded 1 strikeout in his inning of work.
With the rain out earlier in the week both teams will have to fly to Houston and get ready for Game 6 tonight. With the Game 4 rain out you would’ve thought we would see a rematch of Game 3 starting pitchers which was Gerrit Cole for the Astros and Luis Severino for the Yankees, but it doesn’t appear that’s what we’re going to get.
Neither team has said who will be making the start for them; so we still make get that Cole/Severino rematch, but there are multiple report that both teas are considering making Game 6 a bullpen game. I believe that both Cole and Severino would be on regular rest, but there was also talk of these two teams making Game 4 of the series a bullpen game; so maybe will see that tonight.
The Astros bullpen has thrown 15 inning so far this series while the Yankees bullpen has thrown 23 1/3rd innings this series. The Astros have Wade Miley in their bullpen who hasn’t pitched in this series, but the Yankees could counter that with J.A. Happ who’s only worked 2/3rds of an inning in the series. Miley and Happ have started games in the post season and they would give their teams a chance to get multiple innings out of a pitcher without trying to stretch them out. You have to wonder if the Yankees hadn’t lost C.C. Sabathia to injury in Game 4 of this series if he would’ve been able to give them multiple innings and helped in this game.
Sabathia dislocated his shoulder and was replaced on the Yankees ALCS roster, Sadly that move means that if the Yankees manage to comeback and win this series Sabathia if healthy would not be eligible to pitch in the World Series. It looks like this injury has end the future Hall of Famers career. Sabathia announced that 2019 would be his last season.
So what do you see happening tonight? With Houston returning home; do they close out the series tonight? Or do the Yankees have enough in them to turn this into a 7 game series? I guess will get those answers tonight.
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