Carlos Correa on Friday hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, hollering toward his dugout before beginning his trot around the bases and propelling the Astros over the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in their American League Championship Series opener.
Correa paused at the plate for a few seconds after the hit and tapped the spot on his wrist where a watch would be.
“It’s my time,” the star of the Houston Astros screamed.
Photo: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY
If his time with the Astros runs out at the end of this season, the star shortstop sure is making this a month to remember.
“When the playoffs start, [my teammates] always tell me: ‘It’s your time. Now to go out there, hit homers,’” Correa said.
“They told me to hit the watch when I hit the homer,” he added.
Photo: AFP
Correa teamed with Jose Altuve to do just enough to overcome the heroics of Kike Hernandez, who starred with his bat and glove for the wild-card Red Sox.
“I’ve been watching them for years, and it’s a pleasure to be watching them up close and personal,” manager Dusty Baker said. “And, boy, they are some clutch guys.”
Altuve tied the game with a two-run shot in the sixth before Correa connected off losing pitcher Hansel Robles with two outs in the seventh to put the Astros ahead 4-3.
Photo: AP
Correa, who has been with the Astros since being selected first overall in 2012, becomes a free agent at season’s end and it seems likely that he will not remain in Houston.
Correa has a history of big hits for Houston that includes 18 post-season home runs, several of them in key, late situations.
“Playoff time, baby,” Correa said. “We want to be in the spotlight. We want to be in the moment.”
Photo: AFP
He had three hits, and his performance gave him 55 post-season RBIs, passing Albert Pujols for the most among active MLB players.
Hernandez, who won a World Series with the Dodgers last year, homered twice among his four hits and likely saved multiple runs with two terrific catches.
His second homer came off closer Ryan Pressly to start the ninth and cut the lead to 5-4, but Pressly retired the next three batters to get the save.
“It would have been a lot cooler if we won the game,” Hernandez said.
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