Chapman fans Altuve to end it; Yanks seesaw past Astros, 6-5
HOUSTON—Even when things got really, really tense—bottom of the ninth, one-run game, Jose Altuve vs. Aroldis Chapman—Yankees manager Aaron Boone stepped back to marvel in the moment.
“I said: ‘This is pretty good, isn’t it?’ This is great,” Boone said, recalling a quick dugout conversation with a coach. “This is what you live for, right? This is our best against the reigning MVP, a game on the line. Embrace that, love it. And our guys do.”
Chapman struck Altuve on three straight 101 mph fastballs with two runners on base to end the game, and New York got a key hit from rookie Gleyber Torres during a three-run rally in the ninth inning to seesaw past the Houston Astros 6-5.
The Yankees won a wild one to take three of four from the team that beat them in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last October.
“Winnable game, obviously frustrating because we were behind for so long in this entire series and we (still) could have split,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Split’s not necessarily something to celebrate, but we should have won today.”
Astros closer Ken Giles, who punched himself in the face after a rough outing earlier in this series, didn’t pitch during New York’s late comeback. Hinch was asked why he didn’t use Giles, who hadn’t allowed a run in eight outings before giving up four runs on Tuesday night.
“I thought (Will) Harris could get those guys out due to matchups,” he said.
New York took a 3-0 lead into the seventh, trailed 5-3 going into the ninth and let a bounced third strike give the Astros their final chance.
Pinch hitter Evan Gattis fanned but reached on Chapman’s two-out wild pitch that catcher Gary Sanchez couldn’t find near the plate, and George Springer followed with a single.
“I had full confidence that Chapman would come through there and he really reached back for a little extra with Altuve—probably the best fastball hitter in the league,” Boone said. “Just a great job by Aroldis.”
Altuve went down swinging, giving Chapman his seventh save and the Yankees a 6-1 record on their road trip against the top two teams in the AL West.
“Our whole road trip, going to Anaheim and getting three wins on a team that’s one of the best in the game right now and then to come here in Houston and battle back after a tough first loss against them, that just kind of shows what kind of team we are,” said Aaron Judge, who drove in the go-ahead run.
Houston, which had been shut out two days in a row, scored four times in the seventh and Carlos Correa added a solo homer in the eighth. The Yankees quickly loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Harris (1-2) on a walk and singles by Miguel Andujar and pinch hitter Aaron Hicks.