Jenny Dial Creech: Astros are right where they’re meant to be.
With score tied in the bottom of the ninth, the 2017 AL MVP comes through again
Minute Maid Park erupted the moment Jose Altuve’s bat connected with Aroldis Chapman’s pitch in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.
As it soared over the field and hit the wall in left-center, the Astros ran out of the dugout to cheer on their superstar.
Once again, Altuve found a way to carry his team in a huge moment.
And thanks to his two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night, the Astros are back where they’ve longed to be.
Thanks to Altuve, the Astros are headed to the World Series.
It was another amazing moment in a long list of them for the Astros, who have pieced together another magical season.
Anything less than an appearance in the final series of the season would have been a huge disappointment for baseball’s best.
The Astros were supposed to get to this point.
But it wasn’t easy.
For a moment, it seemed like the Astros would need one more game to knock out the Yankees.
In the top of the ninth inning, DJ LaMahieu hit a two-run homer off Roberto Osuna to tie the game at 4.
A deflated sold-out crowd was silenced.
Luckily for the Astros, Altuve would be up in the bottom of the inning.
There’s always a feeling that something good will happen when he steps up to the plate.
And his home run that gave the Astros the 6-4 victory on Saturday night is a perfect example of why.
Altuve already solidified his place in the club’s history. And as he carried his team to the AL pennant and another World Series appearance, he made it clear that he is one of the greatest Astros of all time.
Altuve wasn’t trying to hit a home run. He was hoping to remain calm and collected and put the ball in play. George Springer reached first base on a walk and Altuve just wanted to keep the momentum going with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
“I thought Chappy hung the pitch, and a great player got him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
A great player did, indeed. “But I didn’t win the game tonight,” Altuve insisted. “All of us did.”
A lot of players contributed to make it happen for the Astros.
Brad Peacock set a strong tone to start the game as he retired three straight batters with seven pitches.
Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the first to give the Astros an early lead.
Josh Reddick dove for a catch to hold off the Yankees offense.
Michael Brantley made one of the most unbelievable double plays ever.
Jose Urquidy made the most of his 10th career Major League appearance.
In a huge game, several players strung together big-time moments to lead their team.
It wasn’t predictable and it wasn’t always expected, but it was a great way to win.
The way the Astros came together and got so much out of their players is exactly why they have been and still are the favorite to win the World Series.
They have so many weapons and so many ways to win.
Saturday’s victory wasn’t exactly what anyone had planned. It was a bullpen game for both teams, and it came quick- just hours after both teams landed in Houston early Saturday morning.
Thanks to a postponement for rain in the Bronx earlier in the week, the Astros and the Yankees played Game 5 on Friday night and had to turn around quickly for Game 6.
It took seven Astros pitchers to work through nine innings, but they did it, allowing 10 hits and striking out 11 Yankees en route to the win.
The game was long. It was tense. It required smart strategy from A.J. Hinch and execution from his team.
It was unorthodox at times, but it worked.
And now the Astros are headed back to the World Series for the second time in three years.
Getting back has been the goal all season for the team. The Astros won it in 2017 and expected to repeat in 2018.
Instead, they fell in five games to eventual champion Boston in the ALCS.
It was a blow for the squad, which was built to win championships.
All year, they’ve yearned to get back.
On Tuesday night, the Astros will host the Nationals in Game 1 with expectations of winning it all again.
This is exactly what the Astros planned.
They’ve been waiting for this moment since losing 4-1 in Game 5 to Boston last October.
It was the topic of almost every Spring Training conversation. It came up repeatedly throughout the season.
It never faded as the Astros battled through five games against Tampa in the ALDS or through six with the Yankees in the ALCS.
The World Series was a lofty goal the Astros set to achieve.
They have one more left — to win another title.
Thanks to a big win Saturday night, the Astros have the chance to make it happen.
The celebration would go into Sunday morning, and the Astros deserve it.
They overcame obstacles, came together and found ways to win.
And they turned to Altuve — one of the best to ever play the game —when they needed him Saturday night.
“I’ve said things for five years now, I’ve talked about how great this guy is, and he continues to exceed expectations,” Hinch said. “It’s not easy to deliver the way he does.
“The playoff version of him is spectacular. We talk about his Division Series homers and then his attention to detail in every facet of the game. He’s turned himself into a star in his career here, and yet he’s remained humble, he’s remained hungry. He’s driven. He’s engaging with his teammates. Everything that’s right about the Astros is Jose Altuve.”
Altuve came through when the Astros needed him to.
Now they are headed back to the World Series.
Just like they planned.