Yankees come back alive, 8-1
Sabathia, Judge, Frazier take over in the Bronx
NEW YORK — Back in the Bronx, the big guys delivered.
Greeted by an array of “All Rise” signs in a ballpark that fits their style, Aaron Judge hit a three-run homer and made a pair of sparkling catches, leading CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees past the Houston Astros, 8-1, Monday night at Yankee Stadium. The win cut the Yankees deficit to 2-1 in the American League Championship Series.
Todd Frazier hit a goahead, three-run homer into the short porch in right field in the second against Charlie Morton.
The 6-foot-7 Judge entered in a 4-for-31 (.129) postseason slump that included one home run, four RBIs and 19 strikeouts. The slugger capped a five-run fourth with a laser of a drive to left field off Will Harris and robbed Yuri Gurriel and Cameron Maybin of extrabase hits. Sabathia, allowed three hits over six scoreless innings for his first postseason win in five years.
The Yankees stopped a seven-game ALCS losing streak dating to Sabathia's victory against Texas in 2010 — when Judge had just started his freshman year at Fresno State.
On the first chilly night of the autumn, Sabathia relied on the sharp, slow slider that has helped revive the former flame-thrower’s career.
At home after a pair of 2-1 losses in Houston, the Yankees led 8-0 after four innings. Houston scored on a bases-loaded walk in the ninth before postseason star Jose Altuve grounded into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.
Sonny Gray starts Game 4 for New York in the best-ofseven series on 11 days' rest Wednesday against Lance McCullers Jr. The Yankees are 4-0 at home this postseason.
Frazier got the Yankees rolling, taking an awkward hack at a low, outside fastball and slicing it into the seats. “That was unorthodox, but I'll take a hundred like that,” Frazier said.