Houston Astros Take 3-0 ALCS Lead as New York Yankees Drop Game 3, 5-0
The Houston Astros continued to stay in command of the New York Yankees, taking game three of the American League Championship Series 5-0 Saturday night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and all but burying the Yankees in 3-0 hole in the ALCS.
Sunday, the Astros can clinch their fourth trip to the World Series in six years and their third American League pennant in four years, with a win at Yankee Stadium.
In dire need of a win, the Yankees gave the ball to their ace Gerrit Cole, pitching on five days rest.
Cole last pitched on Sunday, gritting his way through a tough game four, delivering a big time performance with the Yankees on the brink of elimination to the Cleveland Guardians. Cole's game four victory extended the American League Division Series, and the Yankees were able to clinch their first trip to the ALCS since 2019 with their win in game five on Tuesday.
Hoping to pitch his way to another critical postseason victory, Gerrit Cole came up short in his efforts, allowing three earned runs on five hits, two walks and one home run across five innings, and receiving zero run support.
The Yankees were shutout Saturday night, as their offense went a combined 3-for-29, striking out eleven times and leaving seven runners on base.
Astros pitcher Cristian Javier made his first start of the 2022 postseason, having little difficulty with the Yankees' lineup, allowing just one hit, no runs and three walks over 5.1 innings.
Centerfielder Chas McCormick put the Astros on the board early, blasting a two-run home run off Cole in the top of the second, giving his club a 2-0 lead.
The Astros added three more runs in the top of the sixth, thanks to a Trey Mancini sacrifice fly and a two-run Christian Vazquez double.
The Yankees had no answer, and now their season hangs by a thread going into an elimination game four.
