Astros’ Morton has tough two acts to follow

ALL Charlie Morton could do the first two games was watch in amazement. First Dallas Keuchel dominated the hot Yankees bats in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Then Justin Verlander put on a display of nasty sliders and throwback grit with a complete-game show in Game 2 at Minute Maid Park.

“Watching that in person, it was incredible to see Dallas go out and do what he did,” Morton said Sunday. “And Justin yesterday, that was crazy. It was one of those games where you’re just kind of in awe. As the game went on, it’s not getting any easier on Justin. The circumstances aren’t making his job any easier. But I said this yesterday to a couple of people, he just got better. It was just incredible, the workload, the pitch count, the times that they saw him through the order. For him to just go out and get better was incredible.”

Now, the low-key righthander has to try to follow that at Yankee Stadium Monday night. Morton takes the ball with a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-7 series thanks to the Astros’ two aces. He will face a lineup hungry to pounce on him and any pitcher not named Keuchel or Verlander.

After being beaten by that onetwo punch, the Yankees, who scored two runs in the first 18 innings, are looking to these home games as a chance to get off the mat and regain their swagger.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday he plans to use either Brad Peacock or Lance McCullers for Game 4 and hold back Keuchel for a potential Game 5.

“We’ll have them both in the bullpen in case we need them. I don’t know how the game is going to go. I have an idea how I think it’s going to play out, but for us, we just don’t need to commit yet,” Hinch said. “Good example being yesterday, Justin Verlander goes nine innings, and had the game continued, Brad Peacock was on a short list of going into the game, perhaps the 10th or 11th.”

Morton is having something of a breakout season, his first of a two-year $14 million deal — quite a dropoff in the rotation. Morton went 14-7 with a 3.62 ERA this season, despite missing six weeks with a right lat strain. Aside from that, Morton has been relatively healthy. Morton has had multiple surgeries in the last six years, including his elbow and on both hips. Last season he was out most of the year. But this year, he has impressed a pretty tough audience. Throwing harder than ever and averaging 95 mph on his fastball, up from his career average of 92 mph, Morton punched out 163 this season, beating his previous career best of 124. He also had a careerbest WHIP (1.19).