Yankees win ALCS opener, Nats up 2-0 in NLCS

Young star helps New York crush Astros in opener

HOUSTON — Gleyber Torres kept up his October surge with a homer and five RBIs, Masahiro Tanaka polished his playoff resume, and the New York Yankees blanked the Houston Astros 7-0 on Saturday night in the American League Championship Series opener.

With so much attention focused on the Astros’ aces, Tanaka showed he more than belonged on this stage, too. He threw onehit ball for six innings to outpitch Zack Greinke, improving to 5-2 with a 1.32 ERA in the postseason.

Torres did his part in this matchup of 100-win behemoths with a go-ahead double, a solo homer, a two-run single and an RBI grounder. Moved up to third in the batting order after mashing in a sweep of Minnesota, the 22-year-old star became the youngest AL player to drive in five runs during a postseason game.

Asked whether he was surprised at all he’s been able to do at his age, Torres was direct.

“I mean, not really,” he said. “Prepare really well to be here and help my team. So now I got opportunity.”

Giancarlo Stanton and Gio Urshela also homered, and right fielder Aaron Judge turned in the key play, catching a line drive and doubling Alex Bregman off first base when the score was still 1-0.

“Loved our look today,” manager Aaron Boone said.

The Yankees will try to build on their early momentum when James Paxton starts against 21game

winner Justin Verlander in Game 2 on Sunday.

Houston hardly looked like a club that led the majors with a franchise-record 107 victories. Jose Altuve, Bregman and their teammates were held to three singles.

The Astros had homered in 30 straight games — every game since Aug. 31 — and their streak was the second-longest in major league history behind a 31-game string by the Yankees this year.

Greinke, acquired at the trade deadline for these kind of moments, produced another lackluster playoff start.

“The Yankees, they can come at you in a lot of different ways,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said.

Tanaka, who won Game 1 of the ALDS, struck out four and walked one. He faced the minimum through six innings thanks to a pair of double plays. Three relievers finished up the shutout.

“Obviously the number’s there and I guess I’m flattered. But the happiest thing for me is us being able to get the W,” Tanaka said through a translator.

Matt Slocum The Associated Press Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Astros on Saturday in Houston.