New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone hoped he could get three innings out of Nestor Cortes in a spot start against the Houston Astros, but the left-hander almost made it through the fifth on Friday, setting the tone in a three-hitter that led the Yankees to a 4-0 win.
After Cortes left, three relievers completed the shutout, while Brett Gardner and D.J. LeMahieu each drove in two runs to provide a cushion.
Cortes permitted two hits in 4-2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two, and lowering his ERA to 1.05.
Photo: AFP
“He was terrific,” Boone said. “Then the rest of the bullpen was able to take it from there. He gave us more than we could have hoped as we continue to build him up.”
Cortes was glad to finally solve the Astros. In four previous appearances against them, he had given up six home runs.
“I have bad history against the Houston Astros,” he said. “So to give 4-2/3 innings of strong baseball was good. And we got the win, so that’s what was most important.”
Photo: AP
Lucas Luetge (3-1) pitched 1-1/3 hitless innings for the win.
Chad Green gave up one hit in two innings and Jonathan Loaisiga threw a perfect ninth.
It was New York’s first visit to Houston since Game 6 of the 2019 American League Championship Series.
Photo: AP
The Astros advanced to the World Series with a 6-4 win in that game on a two-run homer by Jose Altuve with two outs in the ninth.
The Astros are commemorating the event by giving away replica 2019 AL champions trophies on Friday, 2019 AL champions replica rings yesterday and Altuve jerseys for the finale today.
However, the powerful Houston hitters did not give their fans at Minute Maid Park anything to cheer about.
Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY
The Yankees got back on track at the plate after just one hit in a 4-0 loss against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
Gardner said that New York’s history in Houston crept into his mind on Friday.
“From time to time, you can’t help but think of the past, but when the time comes, you have to be able to block that out and focus on the task at hand,” he said.
Gleyber Torres singled with one out in the fourth inning, Gio Urshela singled with two outs and Gardner doubled to the right-field corner.
Gardner walked with one out in the seventh, Tyler Wade doubled and LeMahieu hit a two-run double to push the lead to 4-0.
Houston starter Jake Odorizzi (3-4) yielded seven hits and two runs while striking out four in six innings. He had won three straight decisions.
Kyle Tucker hit a ground-rule double in the second and added a double in the seventh to lead the Astros in a game where the top four batters in Houston’s lineup went a combined zero for 16.
“We’re in a situation where you’re missing some of your big boys that probably would have made a difference,” manager Dusty Baker said. “We couldn’t really get anything going. We were behind the eight-ball all day.”
MARINERS 7, ANGELS 3
In Seattle, Shohei Ohtani left jaws agape, his teammates stunned and fans about 150m from home plate ducking for cover with a homer as Seattle beat Los Angeles.
Ohtani had the most memorable shot of the night, no doubt, but Mitch Haniger hit the most important.
Ohtani became the sixth player to reach the upper deck of T-Mobile Park with a towering blast for his 33rd homer, but Haniger’s two-out grand slam in the eighth inning lifted the Mariners over the Angels.
“He’s [Ohtani] got that kind of power, that kind of talent, but at end of the day it’s only worth one and [Hangier’s] was worth four,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I liked [Haniger’s] a little bit better even if it didn’t go quite as far.”
Haniger drove a 2-0 pitch from Jose Quintana (0-4) into the left-field bullpen to cap Seattle’s rally from a 3-0 deficit.
GIANTS 5, NATIONALS 3
In San Francisco, Curt Casali hit a two-run homer while filling in for injured All-Star catcher Buster Posey, while late lineup addition Darin Ruf added a go-ahead drive as San Francisco beat Washington.
Ruf added an RBI single in the first inning against Paolo Espino before connecting for his ninth homer off loser Sam Clay (0-3) in the fifth.
Wilmer Flores homered in the seventh.
Washington’s Tres Barrera hit a two-run triple in the fourth for his first career extra-base hit and RBIs.
San Francisco saved the potential go-ahead run the fourth inning when center fielder Steven Duggar fielded Espino’s single and fired home to Casali. He tagged Gerardo Parra, who hit a tying double.
Jarlin Garcia (1-0) pitched the fifth for the win.
Jake McGee — the seventh Giants reliever of the night — escaped trouble in the ninth.
Starlin Castro had two hits and extended his hitting streak to 12 games for Washington, who have lost seven of nine.
In other games on Friday, it was:
‧ Padres 4, Rockies 2
‧ Cubs 10, Cardinals 5
‧ Indians 2, Royals 1
‧ Rangers 3, Athletics 2
‧ Brewers 0, Reds 2
‧ Twins 4, Tigers 2
‧ Dodgers 2, Diamondbacks 5
‧ Marlins 0, Braves 5
‧ Mets 13, Pirates 4
‧ Red Sox 11, Phillies 5
‧ Rays 7, Blue Jays 1
‧ Orioles 1, White Sox 12
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