ALDS Game 3
It's a sweep! Astros offense destroys Indians 11-3 to claim spot in ALCS
Oct 8, 2018, 4:50 pm
Carlos Correa (left) had a rare hit, and Marwin Gonzalez had another big hit. Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Astros are headed back to the ALCS in back-to-back seasons thanks to an offensive barrage in the late innings of Monday's ALDS Game 3, crushing the Indians 11-3 and moving on to face the winner of the Yankees and Red Sox series.
The game was tight early, with both Dallas Keuchel and Mike Clevinger giving up an early run, but Houston's offense would be too much for Cleveland late, with George Springer hitting two solo home runs, Carlos Correa a three-run homer, and Marwin Gonzalez getting more clutch RBIs as the Astros clobbered the Indians to take the series.
The Astros had the chance to bat first in their first playoff game on the road on Monday afternoon, which Alex Bregman took advantage of with a two-out double off the wall for the first hit of the day. He would get left there, though, as the first stranded runner of the game after a strikeout by Mike Clevinger. Dallas Keuchel took the mound in the bottom of the inning and was able to induce three groundouts to end the inning.
After back-to-back strikeouts to begin the second inning, Clevinger issued a two-out walk to Carlos Correa, but he too would be stranded after a groundout for the third out. Yandy Diaz gave Cleveland their first hit of the day with a two-out double in the bottom of the inning, but Keuchel was able to get another groundout to keep the game scoreless.
Tony Kemp, filling in as DH, worked a leadoff walk to start the third inning, then moved to second on a pickoff attempt that bounced into foul territory. Jose Altuve came through with a one-out single to put runners on the corners, setting up Bregman for another big moment. Instead, Bregman was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out, but Clevinger would work out of the jam with a strikeout and lineout to end the threat. In the bottom of the inning, the Indians would get after Keuchel with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, then both advanced on a groundball. That led a to a sac fly by Michael Brantley to score the first run of the afternoon and put the Indians ahead 1-0 before Keuchel got out of the inning.
The fourth inning went down quietly, with the Astros going down in order in the top half, and Keuchel working around a one-out walk in the bottom half to keep it a 1-0 score. George Springer came through in the fifth, launching a one-out solo home run to tie the game 1-1, but Francisco Lindor would answer right back in the bottom half with a solo shot of his own off of Keuchel to give the Indians a one-run lead again at 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, Josh Reddick got on base with a one-out single off of Trevor Bauer who was first out of the Indians' bullpen but would be another runner left on base after Bauer got through the inning unscathed. The Astros went to their bullpen as well in the bottom of the inning, bringing in Collin McHugh, who provided another strong inning in relief, putting Cleveland down in order including two big strikeouts.
Kemp got his first hit of the day on the first pitch of the seventh, lasering a ball into right field for a leadoff single and just like in the third inning was able to move to second on a bad pickoff attempt. George Springer was next and reached on a slow infield ground ball that allowed him to get to first without a play, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Altuve was next and was able to score Kemp on a groundball that was nearly a double play, but Altuve's speed allowed him to beat it out and made it a tie game again. Bregman was up next and also nearly hit into a double play, but ended up safe after Bauer would be unable to make the throw to get any outs.
Yuli Gurriel worked a walk next, loading the bases for Marwin Gonzalez who played the hero yet again, another opposite-field knock, this time batting right and hitting it to the left-field corner for a double, scoring two runs to give the Astros their first lead of the game, 4-2, and ending Bauer's day. Andrew Miller was next out for the Indians and faced two batters, getting a fly out and walk to load the bases again before Cleveland went to Cody Allen to face pinch-hitting Tyler White, who struck out to leave the bases loaded. In the bottom of the inning, McHugh was back on the mound and made it six up, six down with a couple of strikeouts to send the game to the eighth.
In the top of the eighth, Cody Allen continued in relief but would see the Indian's deficit increased after George Springer hit his second solo homer of the day, extending the lead to 5-2. They'd then load the bases with one out after a double by Altuve, then intentional walks to Bregman and Gurriel to bring up Gonzalez, prompting another pitching change to bring in closer Brad Hand. Gonzalez notched another RBI on the day with a single to make it 6-2, keeping the bases loaded, allowing another run to score on a wild pitch to extend the lead again to 7-2. Carlos Correa, looking to continue building momentum to get hot in the postseason, hit a huge three-run homer to put a nail in the coffin and make it 10-2. Lance McCullers Jr. took over on the mound in the bottom of the inning and worked around a couple of one-out singles with a double play to send the game to the ninth.
Adam Cimber was the sixth pitcher of the day for Cleveland, taking over in the top of the ninth, and would fall victim to another run by Houston, an RBI single by Alex Bregman to make it 11-2 before he could get three outs. Will Harris took over with the nine-run lead in the bottom of the inning and after allowing a run on a wild pitch to make it 11-3 finally put things away to end the series and send Houston on to the next round.
Next Up - ALCS Game 1: With the three-game sweep of the Indians, the Astros will get several days off before the ALCS starts. Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 13 and will be on TBS, time TBD. With the days off, it's likely that the Astros will be able to send out a fresh Justin Verlander for Game 1, but pitching matchups will likely be announced later in the week. The Astros will get to sit back and watch the Red Sox and Yankees do battle, with their series going at least to a Game 4 since the series is currently tied 1-1 with their Game 3 tonight. If the Red Sox win, the Astros will head to Boston for ALCS Game 1, while the Astros would host Game 1 if the Yankees win.
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So where does one turn now in Houston for mediocre, overpriced salsa? I kid, I kid. While wondering if Breggy Baked Beans are on the horizon. Congrats to Alex Bregman and agent Scott Boras for landing an on its face outlandish three-year 120-million dollar contract with the Boston Red Sox. With deferred money part of the deal the contract will be valuated in the neighborhood of “only” three years 90 million. Would Bregman have taken that from the Astros if offered? The Astros’ six-year 156-million dollar proposal was 26 mil per season. Bregman has the right to opt out after each of the first two seasons of his BoSox deal. If his decline (while still a very good player) of the last two seasons continues, or even if he holds steady, there is near zero chance of Bregman opting out unless he hates life in New England. At the end of the three years, will Bregman be able to land a three-year 66 million-dollar deal when he’s about to turn 34 years old? That plus the 90 mil with deferrals accounted for in his new deal would total 156 million. Massachusetts taxes personal income of just over a million dollars and upward at a nine percent rate. Playing half his games in the Bay State, Bregman will pay Massachusetts tax on half his salary.
Reminders...
Bregman obviously had an excellent Astros’ career, among non-pitchers he is top 10 all-time, but the excellence was frontloaded. Over Bregman’s first three big seasons he compiled a .289 batting average and .924 OPS. Elite numbers. Over the five seasons since: .261 and .795. Good, nothing legendary. After his monster MVP runner-up 2019 season (stats aided by the juiced balls of that season) Bregman was on a strong early Hall of Fame track. Now not so much, without some offensive resurgence. Fenway Park should suit Bregman well. He’ll bang singles and doubles off of the Green Monster, though the much higher than Crawford Boxes wall will not goose his home run numbers. In his time with the Astros Bregman mashed at Fenway with a .375 batting average and 1.240 OPS. That’s in a statistically not very significant 98 regular season plate appearances.
It is myth that Bregman in the postseason was some relentless hitting machine. He posted phenomenal numbers over seven Division Series batting .333 with an OPS over 1.000. Over 68 American League Championship Series and World Series games: batting average .196, OPS sub-.700.
For his career, Bregman’s worst month of performance by far has been April (plus any days in March, .737 OPS). In 2024 Bregman was baseball garbage into mid-May. Should a typical slow start happen again, we’ll see what the Fenway faithful patience level is. By far, Bregman’s best batting month has been August (.992 OPS). As it works out, both Astros-Red Sox series are in August this year. First in Boston August 1-3 then in Houston August 11-13.
Who's on third?
Over the last two seasons combined, new Astros’ third baseman Isaac Paredes has been as good offensively as Bregman. That includes Paredes pretty much stinking for two months in Chicago after being dealt from the Rays to the Cubs. Paredes, who turns 26 years old on Tuesday, was an AL All-Star last season. Bregman, who turns 31 March 30, was last an All-Star in 2019. The defensive drop-off from Bregman to Paredes is a fairly steep one.
There is no question that Bregman’s official departure weakens the Astros via a domino effect. Had Bregman wound up staying here, Paredes would have shifted to second base with Jose Altuve primarily in left field. Now, 600-plus plate appearances that Bregman would have taken project to be divided among Mauricio Dubon, Ben Gamel, Zach Dezenzo, and others. That projects as a substantial offensive downgrade. The lineup net result of the Astros’ offseason is negative. Christian Walker and Paredes joining the infield in lieu of Jon Singleton and Bregman is fine. Kyle Tucker out, hodge-podge in in the outfield, oh boy.
Alex Bregman is an unquestioned gamer, leader, and would seem to have the temperament to take well to the more intense baseball environment of Boston relative to that in Houston. Yankee fans should reeeeally love him now!
New beginnings
Considering baseball wasn’t invented until more than a century later, the poet Alexander Pope did not have baseball in mind when in 1732 he wrote “Hope springs eternal (in the human breast).” It works though. Other than the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, Major League teams have convened in Florida or Arizona thinking if things break right this could be their year! I’d probably put the Miami Marlins in with the ChiSox and Rockies. Many Astros’ fans are strongly disgruntled over the departures of Bregman and Kyle Tucker. This team still has “gruntlement” potential. The batting order appears Morganna-level (Google as necessary) top heavy, but one through five stacks well versus most other lineups. In the American League only the Mariners, Yankees, and maybe Royals have starting pitching rotations that should rate above the Astros’ rotation. Let the countdown to Opening Day begin!
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