In Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees, 8-3, on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. Meanwhile, Houston took a commanding 3-1 series lead with the win and is now just one victory away from the 2019 World Series.
Astros push Yankees to the brink with Game 4 win
Courtesy to a pair of three-run homers, the Astros jumped out to a five-run lead. Carlos Correa hit one off reliever Chad Green in the sixth inning and George Springer launched his in the third against Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka. In the late innings, the Astros tacked on two more runs to pad their lead.
Zack Greinke got the start for the Astros, and the righty struggled in the first inning. He walked three batters in the first inning, and Brett Gardner’s free pass with the bases load put the Yankees ahead of the Astros early. Greinke finished his 4 1/3 inning-outing, giving up just three hits and one run. He struck out five and walked four.
Though the Yankees had a chance to erase Houston’s lead in the fifth inning, Ryan Pressly struck out Gleyber Torres and Edwin Encarnacion with the bases loaded to end the inning. Astros reliever Josh James gave up a lead-off walk to Brett Gardner before Gary Sanchez capitalized with a two-run homer to shorten Houston’s lead to three runs in the sixth, but the Yankees would not get closer.
It was an offensive outburst for the Astros in Thursday’s Game 4 win. Their eight runs scored were the most runs they have recorded so far in the American League Championship Series. Houston was shut out in Game 1, scored three in Game 2 and four runs in Game 3. Springer and Correa led the way at the plate for the Astros, each knocking in three-run homers. It’s a feat no team has accomplished in the postseason since the Astros themselves did it in 2017.
Springer’s third-inning home run was his 13th career postseason homer, setting an Astros franchise record. Springer broke a tie with his teammate Jose Altuve, who went deep in Game 3 off Luis Severino, for his 12th career postseason homer. Correa, at just 25-years-old, joins a legendary list with his 10th career postseason homer. Correa was the walk-off hero with his home run off Yankees left-hander J.A. Happ in Game 2 in Houston.
The reason the Yankees lost their third straight game to Houston in this series is a theme that’s been apparent in each defeat: missed opportunities. In this loss, New York’s offense was lifeless, getting just one run (on a walk) out of a pair of bases-loaded chances.
There was also the issue of reliever Adam Ottavino still not looking like himself. He now has four appearances this postseason in which he did not record an out. Starter Masahiro Tanaka also had a subpar game by his postseason standards. The righty was charged with three runs in a postseason start for the first time in his career.
The Astros will look to close out the ALCS against the Yankees on Friday. With a win, Houston will advance to the World Series to face the NL champion Washington Nationals.
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