The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Houston headed to Series
Astros shut out Yankees
HOUSTON — Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers combined for a threehitter, Jose Altuve and Evan Gattis homered and the Houston Astros reached the World Series, blanking the New York Yankees 4-0 Saturday night in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.
Just four years removed from their third straight 100-loss season in 2013, the Astros shut down the Yankees for two straight games after dropping three in a row in the Bronx.
Next up for the Astros: Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
Big-time aces Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander. Playoff boppers Jose Altuve and Justin Turner.
A pair of 100-win teams for the first time in nearly a half-century. Hollywood Walk of Fame vs. Texans who wear the star. A little extra Magic, plus Nolan back in the fast lane.
This is one hot World Series — the Houston Astros, fresh off a Game 7 victory over the Yankees, taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers, well rested after a postseason romp.
Could be real steamy, too. It's supposed to be almost 100 degrees at Dodger Stadium for the opener Tuesday night, maybe the hottest temperature ever at a World Series game.
At least the familiar October chill that makes players and fans shiver shouldn't be an issue outdoors in sun-baked California or under the retractable roof at Minute Maid Park.
Not that young stars Cody Bellinger and Carlos Correa would mind, nor would old pros Carlos Beltran and Chase Utley, nor top starters Dallas Keuchel and Yu Darvish.
Because a chance to win a ring doesn't come very often — these teams that have already played more than 700 games against each other over the years already know that.
The Astros have never won the crown. They're playing for a whole region, with the Houston Strong patches on their uniforms representing an area hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.
The Dodgers haven't been in the World Series since 1988, when Kirk Gibson's bat, Orel Hershiser's arm and Tommy Lasorda's moves outdid Oakland for the crown.
Now with Lakers great Magic Johnson as a partowner, this LA team that led the majors with 104 wins is hoping to bring back the glory days that began in Brooklyn.
"I just want to win a World Series," Kershaw said after the Dodgers dethroned the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series. "I know more than anybody how hard it is to get there. So, I'm definitely not taking this one for granted."
Said mercurial outfielder Yasiel Puig: "The trophy's coming soon."
The Astros, the major leagues' highest-scoring team this year, have never even won a World Series game. They only time they made it this far was 2005, when a club that included Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte got swept by the White Sox.
In fact, a World Series prize is the one piece of hardware missing from the trophy case from the Lone Star State. Texas teams have won the Super Bowl and championships in the NBA, NHL, college football and men's and women's basketball, but never in baseball.