WORLD SERIES
The Astros are in the World Series, and they are the heroes Houston needs
Oct 22, 2017, 2:48 am
The hired gun, Justin Verlander, has been terrific. Elsa/Getty Images
The Astros are the sports heroes this city needs. And the heroes Houston wants.
With Saturday's Game 7 win over the Yankees, the Astros are headed to the World Series for just the second time in the history of the franchise. The Astros are 55 years old. I am 52. I have more marriages (3) than they have World Series appearances. And I did not start until I was 19.
None of that matters. The Astros beat the mighty Red Sox. The more mighty Yankees. And now they face the toughest test of all -- the even mightier Dodgers.
But in a city still recovering from Harvey, Houston needed this. Sports is the ultimate escape from reality. And the Astros are taking us on a magic carpet ride.
And they are so unique. They have an MVP who is too small to be a success. And yet he is.
They have the hired gun, Justin Verlander, who has been nothing short of amazing.
They are the bearded one, Dallas Keuchel. The superstar young shortstop, Carlos Correa. The home-run bashing George Springer.
They are talented. And they are likeable. Even with the annoying woos that Josh Reddick -- the heart and soul -- brought to the team, they are so much fun. Reddick. Carlos Beltran. Brian McCann. Despite the awful slump in New York, they came up big when they needed to do so.
And they did.
And now they are on to the World Series. The Dodgers are the best team in baseball, but bet against this group at your own risk.
The city of Houston is still recovering, and trash still sits out front of many houses. The storm displaced so many people.
The Astros were affected, too. Not just here, but in Puerto Rico. And yet they stepped up.
The next two weeks have a chance to be special. Would anyone doubt this team?
They are the sports heroes Houston wanted.
And needed.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.