In the eighth inning of Game 1 of this American League Division Series, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman clubbed his 13th career post-season home run to match the Dodgers’ Justin Turner for the most post-season homers at that position in major league history.
In the eighth inning of Game 2 on Thursday, with the Astros clinging to a tenuous one-run lead, Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais pushed rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena into scoring position by opting to intentionally walk the batter ahead of Bregman in the lineup, a risky proposition considering the score and the resume Bregman has constructed during the Astros’ annual post-season runs.
Bregman delivered a timely RBI single that provided a measure of insurance in the Astros’ 4-2 victory that gave Houston a 2-0 series lead.
Photo: Troy Taormina-USA Today
The Astros are pursuing the sweep in Game 3 today in Seattle.
The batter Servais chose to walk was Yordan Alvarez — who, after clubbing a walk-off, three-run homer in the series opener, hit a two-run homer with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 2 to give Houston the lead for good.
“He’s been super clutch for us all year,” Bregman said of the Astros’ first baseman. “From April on, not only offensively, but defensively he’s made super clutch defensive plays. He’s got all the tools. He can run, he can hit, he can hit for power, he can throw, play defense. He’s an elite, elite player in this game and I’m super happy to be on his team.”
After going none for two in his first two at-bats against Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo (0-1) on Thursday, Alvarez drilled an 0-1 sinker that was off the plate the opposite way and into the left-field seats.
When Pena worked a two-out walk in the eighth inning, Servais chose not to test his luck with Alvarez, who is almost single-handedly carrying Houston after plating five runs in the opener.
“Things happen. He’s hot right now,” Servais said. “We’ll go back to our place and go from there.”
Castillo had surrendered two hits entering the sixth inning, the first being a solo home run to right fielder Kyle Tucker that spotted Houston a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Castillo recovered and retired 13 of the next 14 batters, with Pena delivering a leadoff double in the fourth to interrupt his run of dominance.
Pena struck again in the sixth inning, blooping a single into shallow center field to set the table for Alvarez’s home run.
Castillo allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings.
The Mariners will look to avoid elimination when they host Game 3. They will likely need to strike a decisive blow against the Houston bullpen, which repeatedly eluded danger in Game 2.
In relief of starter Framber Valdez (5-2/3 innings, two runs, six strikeouts), right-handers Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly covered the final 3-1/3 innings and did so in scoreless fashion, despite allowing five baserunners.
Neris (1-0) recorded an inning-ending groundout with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.
Abreu struck out the Mariners’ most dangerous hitter, rookie center fielder Julio Rodriguez, with the tying run on in the seventh. Montero and Pressly produced inning-ending strikeouts with runners on, too, as Pressly earned the save.
Rust courtesy of a five-day layoff between the end of the regular season and the start of this series appeared to hamper the Astros’ relief efforts. Yet, despite the peril, the job was done.
“They did a great job getting out of trouble,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “Maldy [Astros catcher Martin Maldonado] did a great job directing them out of trouble. That goes unnoticed sometimes. The catcher really comes into play in the situation: calms a pitcher down, knows when to go to the mound, knows when to call timeout, and putting down the right fingers. You don’t invite that kind of trouble. You don’t get out of trouble all the time like that.”
Thursday’s other playoff game between the Yankees and Guardians was postponed due to inclement weather in New York.
Game 2 of the series, which the Yankees lead 1-0, was to take place yesterday, the MLB said in a statement.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
RSS