Springer’s big blasts send Astros soaring to 2-0 lead
LOS ANGELES — George Springer hit two home runs and the Astros kept making more noise in the playoffs, beating the Athletics 5-2 on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
Martin Maldonado also went deep for the Astros, who need one win to reach their fourth straight AL Championship Series.
Game 3 in the best-of-five series is Wednesday, when the Astros are the home team in the neutral site matchup.
Springer put the Astros ahead to stay with a two-run, two-out drive in the third on a second straight 90degree day at Dodger Stadium.
Maldonado’s solo shot in the fifth chased loser Sean Manaea in his first appearance of this postseason.
Yusmeiro Petit came in and promptly gave up Springer’s second homer of the game, extending the Astros’ lead to 5-2. Maldonado yelled and raised his right arm in celebration from his seat in the dugout.
Springer’s 17 postseason homers tied Nelson Cruz and Jim Thome for most through a player’s first 54 career postseason games. Five of Springer’s postseason homers have come at Dodger Stadium, where the Astros beat the Dodgers in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series.
The Astros improved to 7-3 in Dodger Stadium since that World Series. Current A’s pitcher Mike Fiers last year told of his old team’s sign-stealing scandal used in 2017, a revelation that rocked baseball and drew the still ongoing ire of other players and fans.
Hot, sunny and dry conditions again created an ideal environment for the long ball. The teams combined for five homers, raising the series total to 11.
Winner Framber Valdez allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, struck out four and walked one. The 26-year-old left-hander, making his first postseason start, retired his final 10 batters.
Valdez dazzled in his relief appearance against the Twins in the AL wild-card series opener, tossing five scoreless innings and scattering two hits to go with five strikeouts.