Astros advance; Red Sox unload
CLEVELAND — As his teammates sprayed each other with champagne and beer in Houston’s buzzing clubhouse, ace Justin Verlander stayed clear of the fray and foam while enjoying a cigar.
This wasn’t the time to get soaked. Bigger parties lie ahead. The Astros are back in an October orbit.
The defending World Series champions advanced to the American League Championship Series for the second straight year by completing a division-round sweep of Cleveland on Monday with an 11-3 lashing in Game 3 helped by two key throwing errors from Indians reliever Trevor Bauer.
“No one takes anything for granted here,” Verlander said. “This team has a propensity to do big things in big spots. This is an atmosphere that breeds winning. We have the most complete team in baseball.”
Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run double off Bauer in a three-run seventh inning, and the Astros scored 10 runs in their final three at-bats to turn a series that was supposed to be competitive into a rout.
The Astros moved to the ALCS on-deck circle, where they await the Boston-new York winner for a shot to play for another title.
George Springer homered twice, Carlos Correa hit threerun homer for his first hit of the postseason, and Houston’s bullpen combined for four scoreless innings, including six straight outs by winner Collin Mchugh, as the AL West champions served notice that a second Series title is on their itinerary.
For the Indians, another postseason ended earlier than planned. Cleveland was beaten in the first round for the second year in a row, and the majors’ longest World Series championship drought will reach a 71st anniversary.
The Indians hit .144 in the series, were outscored 21-6 and have lost six straight playoff games.
Mike Clevinger gave manager Terry Francona a terrific outing — five strong innings before Bauer entered.
At New York, Brock Holt put the finishing touch on Boston’s blowout by etching his name in the record book.
The part-time utilityman became the first major leaguer to hit for the cycle in a postseason game as the Red Sox grabbed a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five ALDS.
“We were clicking on all cylinders,” Holt said. “Tonight’s a night I’ll remember for a long time.”
Andrew Benintendi lined a three-run double and Holt tripled home two more in a seven-run fourth inning that turned the latest playoff matchup between these longtime rivals into a laugher.
Handed a big early lead, Nathan Eovaldi shut down his former team during New York’s most lopsided defeat in 396 postseason games.
Boston battered an ineffective Luis Severino and silenced a charged-up Yankee Stadium crowd that emptied out fast on a night when Red Sox rookie manager Alex Cora made all the right moves.
By the ninth, backup catcher Austin Romine was on the mound for New York — he gave up a two-run homer to Holt that completed his cycle.
Red Sox 16, Yankees 1 —