Despite small differences, Yankees facing big deficit
HOUSTON — The difference between the 2-0 Astros and the 0-2 Yankees in the AL Championship Series is so small that it can be divided into a million pieces, broken down to the subatomic level.
Game of inches? Try millimeters. Identical 2-1 scores in favor of the Astros. If you piled up the tiny little distances that have separated winning from losing, stacked them one on top of the other, they’d fit on Jose Altuve’s shoelace.
Speaking of Altuve, of course it was the Astros’ mighty mite who scored the walk-off winner to close Saturday’s Game 2 thriller, racing around from first base on Carlos Correa’s double. Of course, he was beaten to the plate by Didi Gregorius’ short-hop relay, which Gary Sanchez dropped.
The Astros have been a hair’s width better than the Yankees when it counts most.
“This is a team that battles,” Aaron Judge said. “We’re not going to give up.”
What is it about these Game 2s anyway? As great as Dallas Keuchel was in Game 1, Justin Verlander was even better, striking out 13 in the completegame victory. But for all of Verlander’s dominance, the Yankees were right there (again) and actually could have won (again) if not for those few inches.
Whether it was Brett Gardner talking about not hitting second base perfectly before making the third out at third base when he tried to stretch a double, or Judge shortarming his attempt to grab Correa’s reachable home run, or Sanchez not gloving the game’s deciding throw — all were plays that could have been executed and were not.
The strikeout epidemic, the power outage at DH, even Luis Severino’s mysterious departure for a nebulous shoulder injury after four innings were contributing factors. But when the Astros pressure the Yankees in this series, these small cracks appear.
“Both sides are really, really emphasizing staying in the game and just continuing to fight,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, “because it can shift in a heartbeat. Just when you feel good about where you’re at, the momentum can shift back the other way.”
The biggest gaffe came on the game’s final play. The throw from Gregorius got to Sanchez in time. But Sanchez, hounded by defensive miscues all year long, committed another that was impossible to alibi for. Sure, the ball bounced, but with the game hanging in the balance, it has to be corralled.
“Bottom line, if I catch that ball, he’s going to be out,” Sanchez said through his translator.
Every step matters in this series. Every throw, every pitch. Down to the tiniest detail. The Yankees are losing by a margin so small, their only comfort is how little it should take for them to start winning.