NEW YORK (AP) — Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman delivered big hits and the Houston Astros again qualified for the World Series, ending a four-game sweep of New York in the AL Championship Series with a win 6 -5 Sunday night helped by another Yankees defensive gaffe.
Capitalizing on a costly error by second baseman Gleyber Torres to produce the go-ahead in the seventh inning, the Astros won their second straight pennant and their fourth in six years.
Rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer off ailing Yankees starter Nestor Cortes to help champions AL West overcome an early 3-0 deficit. Peña was chosen as the ALCS MVP.
Houston opens the World Series at home Friday night against Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies, who beat San Diego to close the NLCS best of seven in five games.
It was the first time both pennants had been decided on the same day since 1992.
After losing to Atlanta in last year’s World Series, Houston improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, earning the fifth pennant in franchise history and another shot at its second championship.
The team’s 2017 title was marred by a cheating scandal.
With the playoffs expanded to 12 teams this year, the Phillies became the first third-place team in baseball history to reach the World Series.
Philadelphia went 87-75 during the regular season — Bregman and the Astros finished 106-56 under manager Dusty Baker, seven games better than any other American League team.
“They’re the best guys I’ve ever met!” Baker said during the on-court post-game celebration. “They come to play every day – all day.”
The 73-year-old Baker is heading into his third World Series in 25 seasons as a major league manager, still seeking his first championship as a bench boss. He won as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It’s a very exciting time for me and the organization,” Baker said before the game. “These guys expect to win. The winning races win.
After going 61-23 in early July, AL East champion New York was no match for the Astros in October – again. Houston has gone 9-2 against the Yankees on aggregate this year and knocked them out of the playoffs four times in the past eight seasons, including in the ALCS in 2017 and 2019.
In fact, New York has lost in its last five trips to the AL Championship Series and hasn’t claimed a pennant since winning its 27th World Series championship in 2009.
No. 28 proved the most elusive.
“It’s as bad as it gets,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Back in the lead, Harrison Bader had three hits and scored three times for New York. He connected winning pitcher Hector Neris for his fifth homer of this postseason, giving the Yankees a 5-4 lead in the sixth.
They couldn’t hold it when they absolutely had to.
Peña hit what should have been an end-inning double play to Torres in the seventh. But his turnaround to second base missed shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa as the crowd of 46,545 groaned, and the Astros had two.
Alvarez scored the tying run at home on losing pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga’s next delivery, and Bregman put Houston ahead with an RBI single against Clay Holmes.
It was the sixth mistake of this playoff for the Yankees, who also gave the Astros a crucial gift in Game 3. Chas McCormick hit a two-run first homer off New York ace Gerrit Cole after Bader , a Gold Glove outfielder, dropped a two-out fly when he nearly collided with Aaron Judge at right center.
Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly closed the door with perfect relief.
Retired judge pressed on a comeback for his third save of the series, sending the Astros rushing out of the dugout for hugs and ecstatic handshakes on the infield.
Moments later, a crowd of orange-clad Houston fans chanted ‘sweep! sweep! behind the team’s third base dugout in a nearly empty Yankee Stadium.
Given a 3-0 early lead, Cortes walked No. 9 hitter Martín Maldonado to start the third and trailed 2-1 to collapsing Jose Altuve.
Something was wrong. Boone and head athletic trainer Tim Lentych went to the mound for a quick check on Cortes, who initially stayed in the game.
But he walked Altuve, marking the first time the left-handed All-Star has issued consecutive free passes this season. And eight pitches after visiting the mound, Peña threw a 3-1 slider into the left field seats to tie it up.
That was it for an ailing Cortes, who came out with a left groin injury that he apparently made worse. He was sidelined from August 22 to September 7 with a sprained left groin.
Alvarez doubled Wandy Peralta and went third when Peralta was nailed by Kyle Tucker’s line drive who went for a one-out field single. Yuli Gurriel bounced an RBI single off an open right side to put Houston ahead 4-3, but Peralta prevented further damage.
Needing a win to extend their season, the Yankees got off to a fast start in the first inning after falling 84 minutes due to a threat of rain. Giancarlo Stanton laced an RBI single against starter Lance McCullers Jr., and Torres threw a single to center.
It ended New York’s 14-inning scoreless streak. Houston had gone 19 innings without allowing an earned run.
Anthony Rizzo’s two-out RBI double made it 3-0 in the second, but Stanton struck out with runners at second and third. Rizzo also delivered a two-out RBI single that tied it 4-all in the fourth.
McCullers, who closed out the Yankees with 24 straight curveballs in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS, lasted five innings. He allowed four runs – three earned – and eight hits.
CHECKUP
Third baseman coach Gary Pettis is expected to join the Astros when they return to Houston. He came out with an illness.
” He is doing very well. He is much better,” Baker said.
First base coach Omar Lopez replaced Pettis, with quality control coach Dan Firova serving as the first base coach.
NEXT
Astros: Justin Verlander is likely to start Game 1 of the World Series. The 39-year-old right-hander went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA this season in a hugely successful comeback from Tommy John surgery, making him a favorite to win his third Cy Young Award. He was hit hard in the Division Series opener against Seattle, then struck out 11 in six one-run innings to win Game 1 of the ALCS. He is 0-6 in seven World Series starts.
Yankees: Begin their 2023 spring training schedule on Feb. 25 against Philadelphia and host San Francisco in the regular season opener on March 30.
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