ALIVE AND WELL
Verlander’s efforts in postseason have reached a legendary status
They wanted and needed him, so he finally joined them.
Aug. 31: The day that forever changed the 2017 Astros.
When they won the American League West, Justin Verlander owned the mound and then joyously ran around the field.
When they handed him the ball out of the bullpen for the first time in his career during Game 4 of the American League Division Series, he held off the Red Sox in the Fenway Park rain, then his new team clinched and sprayed champagne.
And in the biggest, most critical game of this thrilling season — the wild-card Yankees one win away from the World Series; the 101-win Astros holding on,
trying to survive for one more day — Verlander was playoff perfection once again.
It’s ridiculous, really. Hollywood and storybook-like.
Being so untouchable on a national stage, over and over again, when he’s brand new in orange and blue.
In the AL Championship Series: 16 innings, 21 strikeouts, one measly earned run.
In elimination-game playoff starts: 4-1 with 41 Ks and a 1.21 ERA.
With the team that wanted and needed him, and is just one win away from the World Series because of him: A perfect 9-0 with 67 strikeouts and a surreal 1.23 ERA.
Verlander has two of the Astros’ three victories in the ALCS and four playoff wins in 2017.
If his new club captures Game 7 against New York on Saturday night back at Minute Maid Park, the 34-year-old righthander who has absolutely owned October will soon be facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
“He’s been everything that we could have hoped for and more,” said manager A.J. Hinch, after the Astros took Game 6 7-1 on Friday behind seven more scoreless innings from Verlander and tied the series at 3-3. “This guy prepares.
“He rises to the moment. He’s incredibly focused and locked in during games, and emptied his tank (Friday).”
George Springer leapt toward the roof near the 404-foot mark in center field at the perfect time.
Brian McCann broke through.
Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and clubbed his fourth home run of the postseason.
Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel answered Aaron Judge’s solo shot in the eighth inning with back-to-back hits, as the Astros’ bats finally woke up and cracked wood for the first time in this series.
“I believe in my team. (Saturday) is going to be a good night,” Altuve said.
But just like Game 2 of the ALCS — 124 pitches, nine oldschool innings, 13 Ks — Hinch’s club doesn’t capture win-orend Game 6 and move one step closer toward the Fall Classic without No. 35. Yankees moment? Try Astros history. And MLB: Verlander is the first pitcher in baseball history with three consecutive scoreless starts in elimination games and hasn’t allowed a run in 24 straight innings during elimination starts.
“There’s no point in saving
anything. … It’s just kind of I’m out there until I’m not out there any longer,” Verlander said. “In season, you sometimes have, OK, you get deep in the game here, let me try to save some pitches.
“In a playoff, that’s out the window, specifically in a 0-0 ballgame in a decisive game.”
Verlander’s run is among the greatest and most important for the Astros since Major League Baseball arrived in this city in 1962.
All the trade rumors and prospects-for-an-October-ace questions that surrounded the Astros for weeks — months, really — during the will they or won’t they buildup toward Aug. 31? Perfect hindsight now. “He’s one of the greatest pitchers of our generation,” said Charlie Morton, who’ll take the mound for the Astros in the ALCS finale.
Verlander was what they needed, willingly changing cities and colors minutes away from the deadline.
An artist, a stopper, a powerhouse throwback (and a reliever) who has thrown the
Astros into a Game 7 for just the second time in franchise history.
“He was cruising early,” Hinch said. “And then the last couple innings, it looked like he was spending a lot of energy out there. … Those last pitches were pretty high stress.
“That was an incredible play by George in center field. And for Verlander to come back and get the last out, it just felt like that was enough.”
Just five hits and one walk. Ninety-nine pitches for 70 strikes.
The arm, presence and experience to build a bridge to Game 7, with Verlander gradually losing track of the innings and batters, and only focusing on the next necessary pitch.
In a season defined by recordsetting home runs and 100-win teams, Verlander has the Astros in sight of the World Series by owning the mound.
“He’s pitched great and you have to give him a lot of credit,” said New York’s CC Sabathia, who’ll start the final game of the ALCS.
Game 2 against New York felt like the peak point for Verlander.
His mentor and childhood idol Nolan Ryan watched up close. Hinch then joked after nine shutdown innings that he’d have to rip the ball out of his starter’s hands to remove him from the game.
Friday, Verlander gave and gave again.
For the team that wanted and needed him.
For the 43,179 so proud to now have him in orange and blue.
For the 2017 Astros and the Game 7 that can send them all the way to the World Series.
“It’s pretty amazing to me how quickly these fans have bonded to me and vice versa,” Verlander said. “I feel it, I appreciate it, especially on the field. But around town, everybody is just wishing good luck. … People, a lot of times in new cities, if they’re not baseball fans, they might not recognize me. But it seems like a lot of people here, they’re involved and they want this team to win.
“And they always come up and give me their blessing and want me to know they care, and that means a lot.”
Nine Astros victories for the new ace, four in the playoffs.
Doing what he was brought here to do each time, and re-setting the bar higher and higher with each instantly memorable postseason start.
These Astros are hosting a Game 7.
They’re alive in 2017 because of Verlander.