NO STOPPING FOR ALTUVE.
Risky decision to wave All-Star home ends with a walkoff win
From the moment the ball cracked off Carlos Correa’s bat in the bottom of the ninth, slashing toward the gap in right-center field, Astros third-base coach Gary Pettis’ mind was made up: He was waving Jose Altuve home.
It was a Mad Dash at Minute Maid Park, and it carried the Astros to a 2-1 win on Saturday in what inarguably will go down as one of the most memorable moments in the history of downtown baseball in Houston.
“Probably the most exciting game I’ve ever played,” said Altuve, whose dash from first to home on Correa’s double against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman sent the Astros to New York with a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.
It was a risk — “I told (Pettis) he was crazy,” said outfielder George Springer — but in the everyday world of Astros baseball, Pettis’ decision to send Altuve was consistent with everything the Astros have been trying to accomplish since spring training.
“Probably when it was hit,” Pettis said when asked at what point he decided to give Altuve the green light. “We had one of the fastest guys in the league (at first). … I just try to give us the best chance to score the run, and it worked out for us.” Faith in his runners
Pettis’ season-long mantra, said Springer, is “run until I tell you to stop running, and our guys kind of embody that. … That’s kind of our team dynamic. Every guy runs as hard as he possibly can until he stops us, and he doesn’t stop us a lot.”
Pettis played that role to the hilt Saturday, and Altuve was prepared. After Aaron Judge cut off Correa’s hit, he threw to Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius as Correa was sliding into second. Gregorius fired home to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who couldn’t hold the throw as Altuve slid alongside the plate and tapped it.
“I was running 100 percent to third base,” Altuve said. “I wasn’t sure if my third-base coach was sending me to home plate, but I just run hard until he stops me. He didn’t, and I was going to home plate.
“I saw Gary Sanchez going for the ball before I touched home plate. If he catches the ball, he gets me out. It was not an easy throw to pick up.”
Asked if he thought Sanchez had him dead to rights, Altuve replied, “Kind of. But we did everything right. Against Chapman, you’re not going to get a lot of hits. You might get one or two, so you have to take the chance.”
Pettis made the call to wave Altuve home based on where the ball was hit, not on the likelihood of getting another hit off Chapman with runners at second and third.
“I’m looking toward the ball rather than Altuve, because I know he’s running hard all the way,” Pettis said. “I wouldn’t say I was nervous. I knew it was going to be one way or another. The ball was put in play, and we had an opportunity to score a run. It worked out well for us.
“I told (Altuve), ‘Way to run.’ That’s what he does. He can run.”
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said the team put the pressure on the Yankees to make backto-back tough plays, and they weren’t able to do so.
“When Judge cut (Correa’s line drive) off, where he throws the ball is really going to dictate what Gary wants to do.” Hinch said. “As the ball got towards second base, there was a play at second base, you look up, Altuve is halfway there, they have got to execute two really tough throws. And obviously, the short hop helped us at the end, and Altuve’s safe.
“So, we like to put pressure on teams. Obviously, we run the bases that way, we sometimes can be a little too aggressive. But, man, when it works out, that feeling of that we applied enough pressure to make a difference is key for us.” Going for the win
Altuve was in position to score the winning run because he continues to be the hottest hitter in baseball. He had two of the Astros’ five hits on Saturday, giving him 13 postseason hits this year, five of them in the two opening games against New York. He’s on pace to challenge the team record of 20 playoff hits, set by Carlos Beltran in 2004.
“I’m trying to go to home plate and not take anything for granted, to work hard on every pitch,” Altuve said. “This is not like the regular season, where what you did two months ago still counts. This is about winning. We start from zero every day.”
As Altuve stood at his locker, having taken another step toward advancing his place in Astros history, he was greeted by Craig Biggio, who cackled in glee, hugged Altuve and said, “Keep it up, boys.”
“What a game by Justin Verlander, what a hit by Carlos Correa,” Altuve said. “I saw my team celebrate and the fans celebrate. We are trying to do everything we can for them, because they have been supportive of us since we lost 100 games three years in a row.”