NEW YORK — The Houston Astros freight train is heading to the World Series.
Houston swept the New York Yankees Sunday night to a 6-5 victory in Game 4, in a back-and-forth fight as New York attempted to extend their season on another night.
So far this postseason, the Astros have not lost, winning all three games against the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS and all four games against the Yankees in the ALCS. This is Houston’s fourth World Series appearance since 2017.
Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena was named ALCS MVP after hitting .353 with two homers and four RBIs in the series. He leads all batters with a 1.177 OPS.
The Yankees started the night’s scoring in the bottom of Game 1 when designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton singled out on a sharp line to Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker, Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader Score. Yankees second baseman Greber Torres then hit a single in right field between Tucker and Astros center fielder Chas McCormick, giving Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo the second.
New York continued to add to their total in the second quarter when Rizzo doubled on a ball on the left field line to score shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and extend the Yankees’ lead to 3-0.
Yankees starter Nestor Cortez made it through the game’s first two innings, striking out two innings and facing just eight batters but not allowing a run. But as Cortez started the third inning, the warning signs began to flash. New York’s crafty southpaw started the fastball at 91 to 92 mph on the night, but dropped to 87-88 mph when Cortez started the third inning.
Then the astronauts came back. Cortez walked Martin Maldonado to start the game, which prompted Yankees manager Aaron Boone and the team’s coach to tour the mound. Cortez stayed in the game, but the results didn’t improve. Astros second baseman Jose Artuf followed with a walk before Cortez allowed a home run to hang shortstop Pena at 82.1 mph, giving the Astros a 3-3 chase Equal score.
The home run was the nail in Cortez’s coffin on Sunday. Boone and the Yankees coach quickly came out of the dugout, and Cortez missed the game with an injury that the team later announced had a left groin strain.
Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta was in the game but struggled to control the Astros. Houston left fielder Jordan Alvarez hits a double on the right, and after Alex Bregman flies out, Tucker follows up with an infield single that hits Peralta hand.
That set the stage for Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who hit a single to Alvarez to give Houston a 4-3 lead.
The Yankees fought back in the fourth. Bud started the game with a single ground ball into midfield, and after Aaron Judge flew out, first baseman Anthony Rizzo drove a ground ball into midfield to score Bud and tie the game at 4-4.
New York then took the lead in the sixth inning when Bud hit a home run on the left field fence on Houston reliever Hector Neris’ 94.1 mph slider.
But the Yankees’ lead proved short-lived.
In the half of the seventh inning, Altuve started the game with an infield single from Yankees backup Jonathan Loisiga. New York then made a key unforced error. Pena hit a ball to Torres to set up a potential double, but the Yankees second baseman shoveled the ball past Keena-Falefa into left field, allowing the Astros shortstop to reach base.
Instead of two outs, Houston found itself with two not-out runners, and Alvarez took advantage, putting an RBI single into right field to score Altuve to tie the game.
The Yankees replaced Loaisiga with unstoppable reliever Clay Holmes, allowing Bregman to lead with an RBI single, Pena to score and give the Astros a 6-5 lead, it’s game final score.
Houston will now host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday at Minute Maid Park. They opened at -180 and won the Caesars Sportsbook’s Fall Classic.