The Astros Win The American League Pennant
The Houston Astros rode Jose Altuve’s 2 out, 2 run home run, B9 to a (6-4) win over the Yankees in game 6, yielding a third pennant for the team.
Houston now has 2 A.L. pennants, both clinched in Saturday night ALCS home wins vs the Yankees, who have 40 pennants, but have now lost 4 straight ALCS, dropping their still very good record in such play to (11-6).
As was the case in the 2005 NLCS vs the Cardinals, the Astros failed to clinch the pennant despite a lead with a chance to do so, in the top of the 9th inning.
Then Albert Pujols capped a 2 out, 3 run rally and the Cards won game 5, only to lose #6 and the series.
Last night, D.J. LeMahieu hit a one out, game tying 2RHR, just over a leaping George Springer’s glove.
However, after Springer walked with 2 outs, B9, Altuve laced a (2-1) pitch from Aroldis Chapman, for a 2 run, pennant winning home run.
Houston will be a nice favorite vs the upstart, wild card Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series, which begins on Tuesday night in Houston.
One would think the first two games will feature pitching battles between stars. Houston has Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander while Washington will counter with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
Jose Altuve, pictured above.
