YANKEES COME UP JUST SHORT
Bombers had chances but couldn’t get to Verlander
HOUSTON — Todd Frazier thought it was gone off the bat. “I could’ve sworn it was going out,” Frazier said. “That’s one of the best balls I’ve squared up all season. The Yankees were down 3-0 when Frazier drilled a 96-mph fastball from Justin Verlander out to deep center with two on and one out in the seventh.
It seemed like they were about to get right back in Game 6. And it seemed like Frazier was about to get his revenge after Verlander made him look flat-out “silly” with a filthy, kneebuckling curveball that caused an ugly, helpless swing from the 31-year-old third baseman in the fifth.
But next thing Frazier knew, George Springer was making a leaping catch in front of the wall, and Verlander was raising his arms in relief after nothing but a loud, 403-foot out.
It was that kind of night for the Bombers, whose bats were quieted by Verlander and his four-pitch mix for the second time in the ALCS.
The 34-year-old righty threw seven scoreless innings, striking out eight, and the Astros beat the Yankees 7-1 on Friday to set up a decisive Game 7 on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
“He was really good again,” Joe Girardi said. “He hasn’t been behind in counts and he’s thrown a ton of strikes.”
Aaron Judge accounted for his team’s lone run, crushing a 425-foot solo homer off Brad Peacock in the eighth, but that was it. In 16 innings against the Bombers over two starts, Verlander has allowed just one run while striking out 21.
“You tip your cap to him,” Frazier said. “We had a couple opportunities and we didn’t come through. You only get one run on the board, you’re not going to win games.”
Aaron Hicks had a good rip off Verlander with two on in the seventh, but that ball went well foul. Verlander eventually struck out Hicks with a 3-2 breaking ball to end a 10-pitch at-bat.
“I hooked one,” said Hicks, who made the first out of the frame before Chase Headley ended it with a groundout to second after Frazier’s own nearmiss. “That’s baseball.”
Gary Sanchez had his chance to do damage with two on and two outs in the sixth, but inexplicably checkswung at a 3-0 breaking ball, which produced only a weak grounder to short that ended the frame.
“I was just looking to make good contact up the middle and put a good swing on that pitch, and he surprised me with a slider or a curveball,” Sanchez said.
The Bombers have scored just three runs in Houston, compared to 19 in the Bronx. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa combined for four hits (including a homer) and three RBIs after being I mostly shut down at Yankee Stadium. t’s been that kind of series, where each team’s stars have shined brightest in familiar surroundings.
And so it all comes down to Game 7 for the Yankees, who are 4-0 in elimination games so far in the playoffs. The Bombers will be facing Charlie Morton, who they rocked for seven runs on six hits over 3.2 innings in Game 3.
“When our backs are against the wall, our team wins,” Hicks said. “And we’ve got to win (Saturday).”
Added Judge, who has hit four homers in the playoffs: “I’m excited. What an opportunity. We wouldn’t want it any other way.”