Springer, Altuve HRs keep Astros alive
SAN DIEGO » George Springer broke a tie with a two- run homer, José Altuve homered and hit an RBI double, and Zack Greinke escaped a bases- loaded jam for the Houston Astros, who beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4- 3 on Wednesday night to stay alive in the AL Championship Series.
With Altuve atoning for his poor defense this series, the Astros finally got their offense going after being pushed to the brink of a sweep.
Seeking their third pennant in four seasons, they trail 3- 1 going into Game 5 on Thursday afternoon.
The Rays remain one win from going to the World Series for the second time in franchise history.
Greinke, bothered by a sore arm in the Division Series against Oakland, made only one big mistake when he allowed a two- run homer to rookie slugger Randy Arozarena that tied the game at 2
in the fourth.
Given a 4- 2 lead by Springer’s homer in the fifth, Greinke’s biggest pitch came when he struck out Mike Brosseau on a 3- 2 changeup to end the sixth with the bases loaded.
After Greinke allowed consecutive singles by Manuel Margot and Austin Meadows with one out, manager Dusty Baker came out for a chat and decided to let the veteran right- hander continue. Arozarena struck out on a check- swing and Ji- Man Choi singled to load the bases before Greinke fanned Brosseau.
Greinke held the Rays to two runs and five hits in six innings for the win. He struck out seven and walked one.
Astros rookie Cristian Javier pitched two innings of one- hit relief before walking Ji- Man Choi to open the ninth. Ryan Pressly came on and got an out before Willy Adames hit an RBI double off the bottom of the left- center wall. Pressly got rookie Yoshi Tsutsugo on a fly to right for the save.
Rays towering right- hander Tyler Glasnow also went six innings, allowing four runs and eight hits while striking out five and walking two.
Altuve hit a solo homer in the first and an RBI double in the third for a 2- 0 lead. His offense helped make up for his three errors that helped the Rays win Games 2 and 3 to move to the cusp of their first World Series since 2008.