Altuve powers Astros past Sox
In other ALDS, Cleveland shuts down Yankees
HOUSTON Jose Altuve had just arrived in the Astros dugout after launching his third home run of the game when George Springer grabbed his right biceps and examined it, as if searching for an explanation for his teammate’s extraordinary pop.
“He makes sure he stays on top of his gym routine, whatever it is,” Springer said. “The dude is just a joke.”
The major league batting champion put on an unprecedented show of power Thursday as Houston roughed up Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox 8-2 in Game 1 of the AL Division Series.
Buoyed by chants of “MVP” in each trip to the plate, the fivefoot-six Altuve hit solo homers in the first and fifth innings off Sale. He connected again in the seventh off reliever Austin Maddox to give Houston a quick boost in the bestof-five series.
“As soon as I cross the white line, I feel the same size as everyone else,” Altuve said.
It was just the 10th time a player has hit three homers in a post-season game, and first since Pablo Sandoval did so for the San Francisco Giants in the 2012 World Series opener against the Detroit Tigers.
Babe Ruth did it twice.
“I told him, the last time I’ve seen three home runs in a game was Pablo Sandoval and I gave up two of them, so I’m glad there’s somebody new that’s done it,” winning pitcher Justin Verlander said.
Altuve became the first Astros player to hit three homers in one game since 2007, when Carlos Lee did it in the regular season. He seemed as surprised as anyone else that he was now in a category with the Sultan of Swat, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols.
“I hit one and I was like: ‘Wow,’” he said. “And the second one is like: ‘Wow, what’s going on here?’” And his thoughts after the third? “I got to wake up,” he said, flashing a huge grin.
After he finished talking to Springer following his third shot, Altuve’s teammates goaded him into exiting the dugout for a curtain call. And as he tipped his hat to the crowd, one fan near the dugout held a sign that proclaimed in blue block letters: “That Kid Can Hit.”
Verlander pitched six effective innings and improved to 6-0 since Houston got him in a late trade with Detroit. He is 5-0 with a 2.24 ERA in nine career starts in the division series.
Game 2 is Friday, with Dallas Keuchel starting for the Astros against Drew Pomeranz.
At Cleveland, Trevor Bauer chopped slugger Aaron Judge and New York’s other big bats down to size, and Jay Bruce drove in three runs as the Cleveland Indians began chasing their first World Series title in 69 years with a 4-0 win over the Yankees on Thursday night in the opener of that AL Division Series.
Bauer struck out Judge three times, twice getting the MVP candidate looking. He allowed just two hits in 62/3 innings before manager Terry Francona turned to baseball’s best bullpen, using reliever Andrew Miller and closer Cody Allen to finish the threehitter.
Allen came in with two on and two outs in the eighth to face Judge, who struck out for the fourth time and angrily snatched at his bat in frustration.
Bruce connected for a two-run home run in the fourth off Sonny Gray and added a sacrifice fly in the fifth as Cleveland began a journey to try to end the majors’ longest World Series title drought.
Corey Kluber, an 18-game winner during the regular season, will start for Cleveland in Game 2 on Friday against New York’s CC Sabathia.