Yordan Alvarez on Tuesday wrecked the Seattle Mariners’ carefully crafted strategy in their American League Division Series (ALDS) opener with one colossal swing.
The Mariners came to the post-season with a plan. Down to their last out, the October-tested Houston Astros were not so easily outmatched.
Alvarez smashed a game-ending, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning off Robbie Ray, foiling the Mariners’ move to use a Cy Young Award winner in a rare relief role and vaulting the Astros to an 8-7 win in their playoff opener.
Photo: AP
“It was something going into the series where we were at, looking at our rotation, where we were going to head, and talking with Robbie about using him out of the bullpen as a bullet, so to speak, for that type of scenario,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “You know, bringing in a lefty against Alvarez, although Alvarez is one of the better hitters in the league.”
“But we talked about it coming into the series. We talked about it pre-game today. I looked at it in the seventh inning and said, hey, this could happen. So that was the plan going in,” he said.
Houston skipper Dusty Baker, who managed Servais while with the Giants, refused to second-guess his former player.
“If he gets him out, then it looks great ... next time Robbie Ray could win, but today we won,” Baker said.
In the other ALDS game in New York, the New York Yankees dominated the Cleveland Guardians 4-1, but an embarrassing out on Josh Donaldson marred the playoff win.
Leading off the fifth inning, Donaldson sent an opposite-field drive to right against starter Cal Quantrill with the score tied.
Certain the ball would clear the short porch at Yankee Stadium, Donaldson put his head down and slapped hands with first base coach Travis Chapman as he jogged around the bag.
“I thought for sure it was a home run,” teammate Anthony Rizzo said.
Little did Donaldson realize, the ball was still in play. As a fan in a Yankees jersey reached for it, the ball ricocheted off the top of the fence right back to rookie Oscar Gonzalez, who alertly fired it to shortstop Amed Rosario at second base.
By the time Donaldson looked up, he was trapped between first and second. He tried to scramble back to first, but Rosario threw to first baseman Josh Naylor, who tagged out Donaldson as he dove headfirst back toward the bag.
“He ain’t the fleetest of foot. So we have to make sure we’re getting where we need to get to,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
A confused Donaldson pointed toward right field and spread his arms — but replays showed the ball never cleared the wall.
In the National League Division Series, Trea Turner homered and doubled as the Los Angeles Dodgers started fast and held off the San Diego Padres 5-3 in Los Angeles, California.
In Atlanta, Georgia, Nick Castellanos drove in three runs and made a potentially game-saving catch in the ninth inning, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies over reigning World Series champions the Atlanta Braves for a 7-6 victory in their playoff opener.
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