Astros Bullpen Implosion Allows Yankees to Tie ALCS at Two-Games Apiece
The New York Yankees have broken out and evened the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros at two-games apiece.
The return to the Bronx was the cure for all that ailed the punchless team who have piled up fourteen runs over the last two games.
Following a critical 8-1 game three victory, things weren’t looking good for the men in pinstripes as the Astros took a 4-0 lead and pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. had been brilliant in shutting down New York’s potent bats, holding them to two hits after six innings.
Then Astros manager A.J. Hinch made what may go down as a monumental strategic blunder that will have him fitted for goat horns if Houston goes on to lose the series.
Hinch pulled McCullers after he surrendered a home run to budding superstar Aaron Judge who took the pitcher deep to center.
It was only the second hit that he gave up but it set into motion a chain of events that would erase what was once a two-game ALCS lead for the Astros.
What a blast! Do the Yankees have a rally in their bones?? https://t.co/eHkNsBolLm
— Bronx Bomber Ball (@BronxBomberBall) October 17, 2017
Houston’s bullpen melted down in about the most spectacular fashion that a relief staff could and by the time it was over. The Yankees had scored five more runs.
The final tally of 6-4 was a crushing loss for the Astros and another momentum builder for the Yankees.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers crushing the Chicago Cubs 6-1 to assume what is likely an insurmountable lead in the NLCS, it would be a blast from the past: Yankees vs. Dodgers in the World Series.
BRONX IS BOOMING: These @Yankees are making it feel – and sound – like the '90s again https://t.co/fnL16W1jwM – @NYDNHarper pic.twitter.com/X9orPSSsia
— NY Daily News Sports (@NYDNSports) October 18, 2017
Game five is this afternoon at 5 pm ET.
Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel takes the mound with a chance to salvage what has been a nightmarish visit to New York, Masahiro Tanaka will pitch for the Yankees.
Seems a bit unfair to put all the blame on the bullpen; the hitters on the Yankees are also professional athletes, right? Seems as if the writer could have fairly posited that the Yankee batters awakened even while the Houston bullpen failed this time…after all, that bullpen did a superb job in the first two games of this series, and well may do it again.
I’m an Astros fan and I see your point. The H-Town bats have been silenced by Yankees pitchers and the pin-stripped boys from Gotham have suddenly figured out how to hit.
Honestly, the next two games will either confirm or disprove whether this is about home-field advantage or just good players.