10 memorable moments
The Astros’ season ended in disappointing fashion with a Game 7 loss to the Nationals, denying them their second World Series championship in three seasons. • But on the journey to baseball’s ultimate game, there certainly were memorable moments. Here are
Altuve wins the pennant 1
This may be the most memorable single moment in franchise history. Game 6 of the ALCS against the Yankees on Oct. 19 was a night dripping with tension from the start as the Astros tried to clinch the series in a patchwork bullpen game. Then with the Astros two outs away, closer Roberto Osuna was tagged for the tying two-out homer in the ninth inning by D.J. LeMahieu. But in the bottom of the inning, Altuve came up with a runner on first and crushed Aroldis Chapman’s two-run slider off the facade above the left-center field wall for only the fifth walkoff homer to win a league championship series.
No-no north of the border 2
Veteran righthander Justin Verlander’s sublime regular season saw its pinnacle Sept. 1 in Toronto. After issuing a one-out, first-inning walk to Cavan Biggio — son of Craig — Verlander retired the next 26 Blue Jays hitters he faced, striking out 14. But the Astros couldn’t give him a lead until the ninth inning, when native Canadian Abraham Toro — a late addition to the lineup after Yuli Gurriel was scratched — lined a two-out, two-run homer over the left-field fence. Fittingly, Toro then recorded the game’s final out on a grounder to third base to finish Verlander’s third career no-hitter.
Cole rules the Rays 3
After a stellar campaign that saw him set the franchise single-season record for strikeouts with 316 and win 20 games, Cole was spectacular in the ALDS against the Rays. In Game 2, he struck out a team postseason-record 15 in 72⁄3 shutout innings to lead the Astros to a 2-0 series lead. Then in a win-or-go-home Game 5, he tossed eight innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts to send the Astros to their third straight ALCS.
Correa knots the ALCS 4
Opening the ALCS at home, the Astros were drubbed 7-0 in Game 1 and were locked in a battle in Game 2 on Oct. 13, with the teams tied at 2 in extra innings. After making a stellar throw to cut down a Yankees runner trying to score in the sixth, Correa ended the game five innings later. Leading off the 11th, he clubbed J.A. Happ’s first pitch into the right-field seats for a walkoff homer to even the series as the Astros won Games 2 through 4 to take control of the ALCS. He also became the first Astros player with two walkoff hits in the postseason, also having beaten the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2017 ALCS.
Brantley doubles ’em up 5
In the Astros’ tight ALCS Game 6 victory over the Yankees, every play in the field mattered, and arguably the biggest came from Michael Brantley. With one out and a runner on first in the seventh inning and the Astros ahead 4-2, New
York’s Aaron Hicks hit a fly ball that looked like it would drop between third baseman Alex Bregman and Brantley. But Brantley raced in, dove to the turf, and caught the ball before it hit the ground. He then popped up and fired a strike to first base to double up runner Aaron Judge in plenty of time for an inning-ending double play. Considering the stakes, it arguably was the biggest defensive play in Astros history.
Alvarez arrives 6
As he tore up the Pacific Coast League with Class AAA Round Rock, Astros fans clamored for Alvarez to come to Houston. He finally did June 9, and he didn’t take long to serve notice that he would be a force, drilling a two-run homer in his second at-bat. He went on to hit .313 with 27 homers and 78 RBIs in just 87 games and is a slam dunk for AL Rookie of the Year.
Blockbuster at the deadline 7
As the July 31 trade deadline neared, all eyes were on the Astros to see if they would make another big move like they did in 2017 when they landed Verlander. The blockbuster came moments before the 3 p.m. deadline, when the Astros traded prospects Seth Beer, J.B. Bukauskas, Corbin Martin and Josh Rojas to Arizona for righthander Zack Greinke, a former Cy Young winner. That gave the Astros baseball’s best starting trio in Verlander, Cole and Greinke and made them immediate World Series favorites. Greinke went 8-1 down the stretch, and after struggling somewhat in the postseason, was terrific in Game 7 of the World Series, shutting out Washington for six innings and leaving in the seventh with a lead before the bullpen faltered.
Four men, no hits 8
On Aug. 3, four Astros pitchers combined for a no-hitter at home against Seattle. Aaron Sanchez, making his Astros debut after being acquired three days earlier from Toronto, threw six shutout innings. Will Harris, Joe Biagini (acquired with Sanchez) and Chris Devenski all tossed a hitless inning of relief to nail down the 9-0 victory. That would be the season’s high-water mark for Sanchez, Biagini and Devenski, as none made the roster to start the playoffs, with Sanchez injured and the other two left off after struggling down the stretch.
Reddick robs the Rangers 9
The May 9 home game against the Rangers was out of the ordinary, with a massive storm hitting downtown Houston and the structure of the retractable roof causing it to rain inside portions of Minute Maid Park. But the most memorable portion of the night came in the ninth inning, when Josh Reddick made a leaping catch at the right-field wall to rob Hunter Pence of a three-run homer with the Astros ahead 4-2. It was arguably the best defensive play of the regular season.
Down by seven? No problem 10
The Astros trailed 7-0 in the second inning against the Mariners on Sept. 5 at home. They were hardly fazed, rallying to tie the score at 8 with a three-run eighth inning. They trailed again in the 12th, but Kyle Tucker kept the game going with a two-out RBI single. Finally in the 13th, Brantley capped the franchise’s biggest comeback win in 25 years with a two-run walkoff homer.