ALCS GAME 1 POST-MORTEM
Astros 2, Yankees 1
What happened in Game 1? Just Keuchel doing Keuchel things, striking out 10 Yankees over seven shutout frames. He now owns the lowest postseason ERA as a starter in MLB history for pitchers with a minimum of four starts. Giles notched a five-out save despite giving up a moonshot blast off the RF foul pole in the top of the 9th.
Oh, and Jake Marisnick Marwin Gonzalez cut down another Yankee at home plate on a throw from left field. Neat.
On the offensive side, the Astros got just enough done against a very effective Tanaka, manufacturing a couple of runs in the 4th and hanging on for the win. The Yankee pen definitely asserted themselves, though, with three scoreless innings.
ALCS GAME 2 – HOU leads 1-0
Saturday, October 14, 3:08pm CDT – Minute Maid Park
Luis Severino (1-0, 7.36) vs. Justin Verlander (2-0, 3.12)
Severino will be making his third postseason start after his disastrous Wild Card appearance and a rebound start against the Indians in Game 3 of the ALDS. Severino was the Yankees’ best starter throughout the season, and he closed the season strong as well, throwing seven quality starts in his last eight games. He finished 3rd in the AL in ERA at 2.98.
The Astros faced Severino twice in 2017 and can lay claim to two unique milestones in his season. On May 11 the Astros chased Severino after six hits, three walks, and three earned runs in just 2.1 innings – his shortest regular season outing of the year. This was the game where Fiers, Harris, and Devenski imploded and the Yankees won 11-6. Then, on July 2 in Houston, Severino allowed his second-highest earned runs in a game, giving up six runs in 5.1 innings as the Astros won 8-1.
Verlander did not pitch to the Yankees this year, with his most recent outing being a 6+ inning one-run game last June. For his career he is 6-7 with a 3.87 ERA against New York.
Select pitcher/batter matchups:
Gurriel vs. Severino: 5 AB, .800/.800/1.000
Correa vs. Severino: 4 AB, .750/.833/1.250
Reddick vs. Severino: 7 AB, .429/.500/.714
Altuve vs. Severino: 6 AB, .167/.167/.167
Springer vs. Severino: 6 AB, .167/.286/.333
Headley vs. Verlander: 15 AB, .400/.400/.800
Frazier vs. Verlander: 17 AB, .294/.294/.647
Gardner vs. Verlander: 26 AB, .269/.345/.385
Ellsbury vs. Verlander: 27 AB, .222/.281/.296
Hicks vs. Verlander: 9 AB, 0-fer