Brian McCann said he took no additional pleasure in beating his former team, the Yankees, who traded him to the Astros last November as part of their rebuild. "I love that organization," McCann said. "I have lifelong friends over there that I'll be talking to when I'm in my 70s and 80s."
Justin Verlander has been named ALCS MVP. He gave up one run and struck out 21 batters in 16 innings over two starts in the ALCS.
Alex Cora viajará a Boston a ser nombrado dirigente de los Medias Rojas una vez los Astros completen su participación en postemporada.
What an awesome performance from Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers to pitch the Astros into the second World Series in franchise history. The two combined for a three-hit, 11-strikeout shutout. They threw 108 pitches -- 77 of them curveballs. The Yankees had no chance and we have the first World Series matchup between 100-win teams since the Reds and Orioles in 1970.
The Yankees season ends with a 4-0 loss to the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS. While it is not the finish they wanted, their year still must be considered a success for a club a lot of people thought wouldn't even make the playoffs. Led by Aaron Judge, the Yankees have a young core that should allow them to return to future October and possibly advance further in the playoffs.
The champagne is on its' way to the Astros clubhouse.
Athletic trainer Jack Marucci is a cutting edge medical specialist for @LSUfootball and also has a fascinating "hobby" that has turned in to a huge success. @maruccibats He presents Holly Rowe with a special bat!
When the Yankees signed Brian McCann to a five-year, $85 million contract in December of 2013, they could only dream of him ripping a two-run double in an ALCS Game 7 they were playing in. However, he is doing it for the opposite team. McCann, who was traded by the Yankees to the Astros this past winter, nailed a two-run double off the Yankees' Tommy Kahnle to open up a four-run lead for Houston. The Yankees are still paying McCann around a third of his $15M salary this year.
Brian McCann is doing a number on his former team in Game 7 of the ALCS. Not only did the Astros catcher somehow hold the ball and make a tag as Greg Bird slid feet-first into home plate in the top of the fifth inning, but he ripped a two-run double to right field in the bottom of the inning.
Los 5 jonrones de José Altuve son la segunda mayor cantidad para un venezolano en una sola postemporada, rompiendo empate con Miguel Cabrera (5). En primer lugar continúa Pablo Sandoval, quien conectó 6 en los playoffs de 2012.
El venezolano José Altuve ha conectado 5 cuadrangulares con los Astros de Houston en postemporada, la segunda mayor cantidad en la historia de la franquicia después de los 8 de Carlos Beltrán en 2004.
Charlie Morton got into trouble in the fifth inning and escaped thanks to a tremendous play by third baseman Alex Bergman and Brian McCann, who combined on a tag play to nail Greg Bird at home plate. Bregman continues to show impressive poise on the big stage for a rookie. The Astros carried a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth and extended it to 2-0 on Jose Altuve's opposite field run run off Tommy Kahnle. It's now 2-0 Houston.
Jose Altuve with an ALCS MVP-worthy bat flip as he reaches first base after hitting a line-drive solo homer into the right-field seats here in the fifth inning against Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle.
The Yankees' Tommy Kahnle saved CC Sabathia in the fourth. Sabathia handed the ball to Kahnle with two men on and one out. Kahnle induced the Astros' George Springer to hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Sabathia struggled, but only only allowed an Evan Gattis homer before being pulled.
Great job by Tommy Kahnle to not only get out of the jam, but doing it with a double play on one pitch. He's now thrown 10.2 scoreless innings this postseason and could easily take the Yankees through the sixth. That maybe leaves David Robertson for the seventh and then Aroldis Chapman. In other words: The Astros may need to throw a shutout to win this game.
The Astros strike first, as Evan Gattis belts a CC Sabathia pitch off the facade of the train station in left field at Minute Maid Park for a solo home run in the fourth inning.
In reviewing Charlie Morton's rough Game 3 starts vs. both Red Sox and Yankees, Astros manager A.J. Hinch concluded he was "one of the unluckiest pitchers in postseason," giving up runs despite not being hit hard. Morton has been terrific here so far, allowing one hit through four scoreless innings. Most importantly, he has kept the relievers in the Astros' shaky bullpen from moving a muscle.
The Yankees' Aaron Judge saved the first run of ALCS Game 7 from scoring, by racing to the right field wall, leaping and stealing what appeared to be a solo homer from the Astros' Yuli Gurriel in the second. Judge's glove went over the wall as he made the catch and he did an incredible job of hanging on to the ball.
The fascinating aspect of Game 7 will be how A.J. Hinch navigates through 27 outs when he's lost trust in most of his bullpen. Charlie Morton has been great the first time through the order this season, but then tails off, so he's unlikely to go deep. That likely means multiple innings from Dallas Keuchel and then ... who? Brad Peacock? Ken Giles? Or will we even see Justin Verlander trying to close it out in the ninth inning?
The Dodger Stadium team store will get more World Series merchandise tomorrow. They have other stores in Hollywood and Universal City.
Game 1 of the World Series is at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday against the Yankees or Astros.
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said it would be "a dream scenario" if Justin Verlander was available out of the bullpen in Game 7, "but that's a lot to ask of him." Hinch will check with Verlander before the game to determine his status. Lance McCullers, on three days' rest, could be the Astros' first option behind starter Charlie Morton.
Vía Yankees: Alineación contra los Astros para el séptimo juego de la Serie de Campeonato. Los Yankees ganaron el quinto partido de la Serie Divisional con CC Sabathia en la lomita. Si ganan el juego de esta noche, Sabathia sería el séptimo lanzador en la historia en ser el abridor en dos partidos de eliminación de su equipo en la misma postemporada.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi sounded as if he would go to Tommy Kahnle as his first reliever out of the year pen in place of starter CC Sabathia. If everything went according to plan for Girardi he would likely used David Robertson and then closer Aroldis Chapman.
Vía Astros: Alineación contra los Yankees para el séptimo juego de la Serie de Campeonato. En los primeros 6 juegos, el equipo dueño de casa ha salido ganador. En cuatro ocasiones anteriores en la historia de las Grandes Ligas, el equipo dueño de casa ha ganado todos los juegos en su propio parque en una serie de siete partidos.
