The Houston Astros found themselves down 3-2 and heading back home needing two wins to advance to the World Series.
On Friday night behind another dominating performance from Justin Verlander and the bats forced a Game 7 with a 7-1 victory over the New York Yankees.
On Saturday, in a do or die, win or go home Game 7, the Astros sent Charlie Morton to the mound, and all he did was give his team five shutout innings, allowing just two hits, one walk with five strikeouts. In Morton’s first game against the Yankees in Game 3, he allowed seven runs, on six hits, two walks, while striking out three in just 3.2 innings.
So his five shutout innings, were more than enough for the Astros, as the offense took over scoring one in the fourth on Evan Gattis‘ monster blast off the left field wall. In the fifth, Jose Altuve‘s second home run of the series and second in two games, and Brian McCann‘s two-run double to put the ‘Stros up 4-0 and they would never look back.
The Yankees had one chance to tie the game in the fifth with the Astros up 1-0. Greg Bird led off the inning with a double, and after Starlin Castro struck out, Aaron Hicks walked and a wild pitch moved Bird to third base. Next batter Todd Frazier hit a high chopper to third base and with Bird sprinting towards home, Alex Bregman threw a strike to catcher McCann, nabbing Bird at the plate just as he slid in, keeping the Astros in the lead. That is all the Yankees would muster as they were held to just three hits in the game.
Lance McCullers Jr. threw four innings of relief, striking out six batters, while allowing one hit and one walk.
Now the Astros advance to their first World Series in 12 years, as they look to finally win their first title.
The stage is set, World Series Title on the line as the top run scoring team (Astros) in 2017, face off against the second best pitching squad (Dodgers – 3.38 ERA) in 2017.
Who will take the title in 2017? Stay tuned….
