Houston is heading back to the ALCS
Astros headed to ALCS after offensive explosion in ALDS Game 4
Oct 8, 2020, 6:21 pm
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Carlos Correa celebrates a go-ahead three-run home run in ALDS Game 4
After taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series with wins in games one and two, the Astros suffered their first loss of the 2020 postseason in ALDS Game 3 on Wednesday. With uncertainty about who would start the game on the mound for the Astros, Zack Greinke would end up making a start in Game 4 as Houston tried again to put the A's away.
They would indeed finish the series win, thanks to outslugging Oakland in another homer-heavy affair and winning 11-6. They advance to the ALCS for the fourth-straight year in their quest for the franchise's second World Series victory. Here are highlights from the game:
Final Score: Astros 11, A's 6.
Series: HOU wins 3-1.
Winning Pitcher: Cristian Javier.
Losing Pitcher: Frankie Montas.
Laureano homers off Greinke, twice
After waiting until Thursday morning to be sure, it was Zack Greinke who Dusty Baker handed the ball to in Game 4. After a quick first inning, the A's quickly put stress on him, getting back-to-back one-out singles to set up a three-run home run by Ramón Laureano to put Oakland up 3-0 quickly.
Razor Ramón gives the @Athletics an early lead. pic.twitter.com/9GBgCNmEL8
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2020
Greinke refocused, allowing just one baserunner in the next eight at-bats, finishing the fourth inning. He returned for the fifth but was met with another home run by Laureano, a solo shot. He would get two more outs before issuing a two-out walk, prompting Dusty Baker to make a move to bring in Blake Taylor to complete the inning. Greinke's final line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 76 P.
Brantley and Correa lead an offensive explosion
Greinke would exit with a lead despite those runs allowed, though, thanks to a big fourth inning by his offense. It started with a leadoff walk by Jose Altuve, setting up a two-run shot by Michael Brantley. Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker hit back-to-back singles in the next two at-bats, getting on base for a crushed 427-foot, go-ahead three-run bomb by Carlos Correa.
Launched our way out front. #ForTheH pic.twitter.com/dH2ve6WLFI
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 8, 2020
They extended their lead by a large margin in the next two innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Brantley would hit his second homer of the day to lead off the inning before an RBI-single by Correa to make it 7-4. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Kyle Tucker would get his second RBI of the series, followed by Correa's fifth of the game, both on two-out singles to make it a five-run game at 9-4.
Houston advances to ALCS
Cristian Javier took over on the mound in the top of the sixth, striking out the side for a 1-2-3 inning. He returned in the seventh and worked around two two-out hits to keep it a five-run game. Jose Altuve made it a seven-run game with his bat in the bottom of the inning, getting in on the home run parade with a two-run shot to make it 11-4.
ANOTHER HOMER.
The @Astros are pulling away. #ALDS pic.twitter.com/Kvjprs6iK6
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2020
Javier remained in the game with the big lead, but after allowing a double and hitting a batter, would be taken out with one out in favor of Enoli Paredes. Paredes would get the final two outs of the inning and strand both runners. Still 11-4 in the top of the ninth, the Astros took no chances, bringing in closer Ryan Pressly. He would get through the inning despite allowing two runs, wrapping up the win and the series for Houston, who have been in every ALCS since 2017.
Up Next: The Astros will have a couple of days off before starting up the ALCS, with Game 1 on Sunday. They will face the winner of the Yankees / Rays ALDS, with starters and times TBD.
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Yusei Kikuchi pitched seven innings of three-hit ball in another sharp start, and Yordan Alvarez homered and drove in two runs in the Houston Astros ' 5,000th victory, 5-3 over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Alex Bregman hit an early two-run homer and Alvarez added his 33rd in the ninth inning for the first-place Astros, who opened a six-game Southern California trip with their second straight win after a three-game skid.
Mickey Moniak homered for the Angels, who have lost five of six.
Kikuchi (9-9) overcame early trouble and struck out six Angels while keeping the Astros unbeaten in all of his starts since joining Houston in a trade with Toronto. Kikuchi is 5-0 in an Astros uniform, and Houston is 8-0 when he takes the mound.
Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 30th save as the Astros became the 18th big league club to reach 5,000 victories.
Rookie Samuel Aldegheri (1-2) couldn’t get out of the third inning in his third major league start for the Angels, yielding four runs on six hits and five walks while recording only six outs.
Houston scored twice in the second with two singles followed by two walks and Alvarez's sacrifice fly.
The Astros then got three hits on Aldegheri's first three pitches in the third inning. After Kyle Tucker singled, Bregman hit his 23rd homer and Jeremy Peña doubled.
Kikuchi issued back-to-back walks to begin the third, and Los Angeles scored on Zach Neto's groundout and Nolan Schanuel's single.
Moniak's solo shot to right in the fourth was just his second career homer against a left-hander. It was also the former No. 1 overall pick's 14th homer of the season, matching his career high.
Alvarez's homer was a line drive that went in and out of Moniak's glove when the center fielder leaped at the wall to attempt what would have been a spectacular catch.
Hader recorded 30 saves for the fourth consecutive season and the fifth time in his career.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: INF Jose Altuve returned from a one-game absence with discomfort in his right side. He drove the first pitch of the game into left field, but was easily thrown out at second while trying to stretch it into a double.
Angels: 2B Brandon Drury sat out after leaving Wednesday's game in the fifth inning with hamstring tightness. ... RHP Ben Joyce is still awaiting the results of his MRI exam Thursday. The 105-mph hurler hasn't pitched since Sept. 6 after reporting shoulder discomfort.
UP NEXT
Justin Verlander (3-6, 5.30 ERA) takes the mound for Houston after struggling in his past two starts in September. Los Angeles sends out All-Star Tyler Anderson (10-12, 3.50 ERA), who beat the Astros earlier this year for his only victory in nine career starts against them.