Astros duo glad to share top billing

HOUSTON — When it comes to dynamic duos, there’s often a clear-cut top dog and a trusty sidekick.

That’s not the case with second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa, Houston’s middle-infield combo who shine equally bright.

“A lot of times you have one All-star caliber (player) and like a … Robin,” manager Dusty Baker said. “But this time you’ve got two Batmans.”

The pair played a 66th postseason game together Saturday, which is the most by any shortstop and second base duo in MLB history. The two franchise cornerstones — or, to use Baker’s term, the team’s vertebrae — have played together since Correa’s debut in 2015, a year that featured their first postseason berth.

Altuve doesn’t recall a specific conversation they had back then about their expectations for the future, but he knows they often discussed “winning and playing together for a long time.”

They’ve accomplished both of those goals. This season marks their sixth postseason trip, and they’ve helped the Astros to a fifth straight American League Championship Series, where they’re tied 1-1 with Boston.

They’re looking for a third World Series berth after losing to Washington in 2019 following their 2017 World Series win that later was tainted by a sign-stealing scandal.

Houston won more than 100 games in three of the seasons since Correa made it to the majors and finished this regular season with 95 victories to capture their fourth AL West title in five years.

Altuve hit a two-run homer Friday to tie Game 1 of the ALCS before Correa’s solo shot in the seventh inning put them on top in a 5-4 win. Boston hit two grand slams in Game 2 to tie the series with a 9-5 victory.

Game 3 is Monday in Boston, where the Astros will have to rely more heavily on Altuve, Correa and the rest of their high-powered offense after a rash pitching injuries.