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MLB playoffs: Astros jump ahead of Yankees in ALCS Game 2 on Alex Bregman homer. Can New York respond?

Written by ABC AUDIO on October 21, 2022

It’s the American League Championship Series, which means the Astros are playing. Through all the self-inflicted turmoil in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal, they have reached the ALCS for the sixth straight season. For the third time in that run, they’re matching up with the New York Yankees. The first two times, Houston prevailed — much to the chagrin of Yankees fans.

And in Game 1 of this series, the pattern held. Astros ace Justin Verlander got better as he went, and Houston eventually broke through against the Yankees bullpen. The Yankees’ task won’t get easier in Game 2 Thursday night, as Astros lefty Framber Valdez takes the mound. He is a quality start machine, and one of the hardest pitchers to homer against.

While Yankees technically boasted a better overall offense in 2022, it came with serious peaks and valleys. Aaron Judge was the constant in his history-making 62-homer season. The rest of the lineup has been a work in progress, and manager Aaron Boone is making changes for Game 2.

Harrison Bader — the center fielder acquired for his defensive chops — has been the Yankees’ best hitter thus far in October and will move to the leadoff spot just ahead of Judge. Rookie shortstop Oswald Peraza will get the start at shortstop and again relegate Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the bench. A top prospect, Peraza got his first taste of the big leagues in September, batting .306 with one homer in 18 games.

The Astros have been getting a serious postseason jolt from their own rookie shortstop, Jeremy Peña, who homered to seal Game 1.

Game 2 starts at 7:37 p.m. ET on TBS. Follow all the action here on Yahoo Sports.

Bregman takes Yanks deep, continuing HR trend
HOUSTON — Living by the long ball has been the Astros’ offensive formula this postseason, a tactic Alex Bregman continued to exercise in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series vs. the Yankees on Thursday at Minute Maid Park.

Houston’s two-time All-Star crushed a two-out three-run homer in the third inning off Luis Severino, yanking a 97.4 mph middle-in fastball in a 1-2 count 360 feet beyond the left-field wall for another Crawford Boxes special.

It was Bregman’s 14th career postseason homer, etching his name in the record books for the most among third basemen all-time in the playoffs, passing longtime Dodger Justin Turner. The home run was Bregman’s 11th off a current or former All-Star to fall victim to Bregman’s October heroics, joining Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell, Stephen Strasburg and Fernando Rodney.

Bregman also inched closer to the top of the Astros’ all-time playoff home run leaderboard, trailing Jose Altuve (23), George Springer (19) and Carlos Correa (18), the latter two of whom are no longer with the organization.

Before Bregman went deep, Houston had been hitless in each of its previous 19 at-bats with runners in scoring position despite dispatching the Yankees in Game 1 and sweeping the Mariners in the AL Division Series. Bregman’s homer also underscored the state of the Astros’ lineup, which has now scored 16 of its 20 runs in these playoffs via homers.

In a 4-2 win in Game 1 on Wednesday, the Astros’ offense had more homers (three) than strikeouts (two), yet each of those that cleared the yard were solo shots.

Home runs are always conducive to success, but that’s particularly true in the postseason, where teams were 15-5 when out-homering their opponent and 19-9 when scoring first entering Thursday.

“I think it’s just as urgent as every single game,” Bregman said pregame of jumping on the Yankees early. “We understand how good of a team they are. They can pitch. They can hit. They play defense. They’re well-coached. So we have the same sense of urgency every single time we take the field.”

The Astros, with a 1-0 lead after winning Wednesday’s opener, resume their American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees at 6:37 p.m. Thursday at Minute Maid Park.

Follow along with the Houston Chronicle’s sports staff each game during the playoffs for breaking news, live updates and analysis from our team of writers. You can also text questions and get insider information from columnist Brian T. Smith here.

Going deep
8:53 p.m.: This is the third time in his career that Framber Valdez has worked into the seventh inning of a postseason game. He went seven innings in the 2020 ALDS at Oakland and eight in last year’s ALCS at Boston. — Danielle Lerner

Threat nets nothing
8:48 p.m.: With Astros runners on first and second and one out, Aledmys Díaz grounds into a double play to end the sixth inning. Framber Valdez goes back to the mound for the seventh with a 3-2 lead. — Greg Rajan

Pitching change for Yankees
8:44 p.m.: After Kyle Tucker’s one-out single in the sixth, Luis Severino is pulled and Jonathan Loaisiga is in to face Yuli Gurriel. — Greg Rajan

Now that’s teamwork
8:39 p.m.: Quite the Astros defensive play there to end the top of the sixth. Alex Bregman bellyflopped and deflected Gleyber Torres’ ground ball, but Jeremy Peña snagged it barehanded off the hop and fired a throw to first base for the out. — Danielle Lerner

MLB playoffs: Astros jump ahead of Yankees in ALCS Game 2 on Alex Bregman homer. Can New York respond?

Written by ABC AUDIO on October 21, 2022

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MLB playoffs: Astros jump ahead of Yankees in ALCS Game 2 on Alex Bregman homer. Can New York respond?

Written by ABC AUDIO on October 21, 2022

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