Astros have a blast in first game of ALDS
Defending champs swat four homers to top Cleveland
HOUSTON It’s October and George Springer, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are all hitting home runs once again, helping the Houston Astros to a post-season win.
A year after launching a World Series-record 15 homers in winning their first championship, the Astros picked up right where they left off, hitting four home runs to power past the Cleveland Indians 7-2 Friday in Game 1 of the AL Division Series.
Martin Maldonado also connected for the Astros, who didn’t waste any time displaying the same power that carried them to last year’s title.
Much was made about the pitching prowess these teams possess in the days leading up to this game. But it was a bunch of longballs that put the Astros ahead in this bestof-five series.
“As much as I’ve heard different opinions about our offence, it’s pretty long, it’s pretty good, it’s pretty potent,” manager AJ Hinch said. “Case in point today.”
Houston’s pop backed up a solid start by Justin Verlander, who bested Corey Kluber in a matchup of Cy Young Award-winning aces in the first post-season meeting between these teams.
Verlander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and got his 12th playoff win. He allowed two hits and two runs in 51/3 innings.
Kluber, a two-time Cy Young winner who was coming off his first 20-win season, was tagged for three home runs in 42/3 innings. It was a repeat performance from last October’s ALDS, when he made two starts against the Yankees and left with a 12.79 ERA.
Game 2 is Saturday in Houston. Gerrit Cole starts for the Astros against Carlos Carrasco.
The Astros hit 27 homers last post-season. Springer hit five in the World Series and set a record by connecting in four straight games on his way to winning the MVP award.
Bregman, coming off a breakout year, got Houston’s first hit with his drive to the Crawford Boxes in left field to start a two-run fourth inning.
The 103-win Astros were still up 2-0 when Springer led off the fifth with a full-count homer to left. That made him just the third player in major-league history to homer in five straight post-season games.
“I’m happy that I was able to help us win in all of those games and be a sparkplug,” Springer said.
BREWERS 4, ROCKIES 0
At Milwaukee, Jhoulys Chacin and the Brewers’ bullpen kept in control and Mike Moustakas contributed two more big hits in beating the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Friday for a commanding 2-0 lead in their NL Division Series.
The Brewers won their 10th straight game going back to their impressive finish to the regular season. Erik Kratz had two hits and drove in two runs, Hernan Perez hit two ground-rule doubles and Milwaukee’s bullpen closed the door after Chacin delivered in his playoff debut.
Game 3 is Sunday at Coors Field. Another win and Milwaukee is into the NL Championship Series for the first time since its previous post-season appearance in 2011.
Nolan Arenado had two of Colorado’s six hits, just two more than the franchise playoff low set in Thursday’s 3-2 ten-inning loss in Game 1.