IT’S ALL OVER
Astros finish off Indians, wait for Bombers-Red Sox winner in ALCS
Astros finish off Indians while Dodgers bounce Braves in four
Yanks won’t worry about Stanton yet
ASTROS 11 INDIANS 3
In the first two games of the American League Division Series, Giancarlo Stanton has not looked like the threat in the lineup the Yankees thought he would be when they made the blockbuster deal to bring him to the Bronx last winter.
The slugger has two hits, which included a chopper to third that was too slow for the Red Sox to field, resulting in a single. He has struck out five times, including with the bases loaded and with a chance to tie the game in the ninth Friday night.
When the Yankees made the deal with the Marlins to bring the 2017 National League MVP to the Bronx, they had the idea of him mashing in Yankee Stadium in October.
So far he has not responded to the playoffs, but the Yankees are confident he will and that he is healthy.
“That’s the nature of G. When he has outs, it can sometimes be a little unpretty, that’s just, you gotta live with it a little bit,” Aaron Boone said. “One thing I know about him is the process, the way he prepares, just when you think he doesn’t look right, he’ll catch a good one.
“Even with where he’s been a little down of late. He’s still getting some hits, still getting on base a little bit,” the Yankee manager continued. “I don’t feel like he’s in a bad, bad place. I feel like when he gets himself in a good position, he’s deadly, that’s what we got to work on getting him to that spot.”
A National League scout who is following this series said that Stanton’s batting stance is different than it is when he’s producing.
“He’s sitting back over his feet, instead of in an athletic crouch,” the scout said. “When you are putting your weight back like that, it forces to you to be reaching out over the plate. That’s when he looks really stiff.”
While a leg issue could prevent Stanton from getting into that crouch, Boone said that the tight left hamstring that Stanton dealt with most of the second half of the season is not really a concern anymore.
“I think he’s pretty good now. I mean it’s been not a conversation,” Boone said. “It was a daily conversation, even between he and I and honestly I haven’t checked in with him as much on that. My guess, there is a little something there, but he is fine.”
MOVING ON UP
Luke Voit was hitting third again on Monday night, the second straight time he was up that high in the lineup.
“He’s been so good and consistent. Obviously we only have two lefties today, so just trying to space them out in some kind of form or fashion,” Boone said. “So no, he’s been a really good hitter. I like his coming up to bat there.”
Voit is hitting .286 in the ALDS with two RBI.
GETTING GREGORIUS GOING
Didi Gregorius has one hit in eight at-bats through the first two games of the ALDS. The shortstop had missed time with what the team said was a small tear in the cartilage in his right wrist at the end of the regular season. Boone doesn’t think that is an issue.
COMING TOGETHER
A’s fan John Spencer, who became internet famous last week when a Yankees fan dumped a beer over his head at the wild-card game, and the beer-dumper will be at tonight’s game together.
Video of the soaking of Spencer, who lives in Brooklyn, went viral. The A’s reached out and provided him with some new, presumably dry and better-smelling, team gear. And the alleged beer-thrower apparently reached out to him through social media. Spencer posted video of himself with the Yankee fan at a bar last week. 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 AL Championship Series for the second straight year — with surprising ease — 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. “That’s the DNA of the guys in this clubhouse. 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 complete rout.
“We’re the reigning world champs, and we really have a good ability to show up for the day,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “So proud of our guys, the work they put into the winter. It was a short winter for us. As you can see, our guys are pretty hungry to advance.”
The Astros moved to the ALCS on-deck circle, where they await the Red Sox-Yankees winner for a shot to play for another championship.
George Springer homered twice, Carlos Correa hit a three-run 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.
After the Astros finished this demolition of the Indians, they briefly celebrated on the infield at Progressive Field before donning ski goggles in their clubhouse.
For the Indians, another postseason ended earlier than planned. Cleveland was beaten in the first round for the second year in a row — the Yankees came back from a 2-0 deficit in 2017 — and baseball’s longest World Series championship drought will reach a 71st anniversary.
The Indians hit just .144 in the series, were outscored 21-6 and have lost six straight playoff games. They were swept for the first time since the 1954 World Series.
“We got to go home now, before we’re ready to,” manager Terry Francona said. “That hurts. It always stings. I just told the guys, we’ve got a number of guys that are free agents. You know there’s going to be some turnover, and it’s a real special group to all of us. Guess who’s back!