Verlander Shoves as Houston Astros Power Three Home Runs in Game 1 Victory

Following a rocky two innings, Justin Verlander found his groove and looked like his Cy Young self against the New York Yankees.

Off to similar footing as Game 1 of the American League Division Series, Justin Verlander didn't look like his regular-season self early on. The Houston Astros ace tossed an extra five pitches in the first inning following a José Altuve error while he wasn't commanding the zone.

In the next frame, Verlander ran a slider at the bottom of the zone. The pitch, floating over the center of the plate, was cranked 411 feet at 103.1 mph by Harrison Bader which marked the New York Yankees' first lead against the Astros this year. 

The center fielder — who hit three home runs during the ALDS — continued his tear as the Yankees were finding early runners against Verlander.

It wasn't until the third inning that something clicked. Following a groundout to Aaron Judge and a walk to Anthony Rizzo, Verlander surrendered a double to Giancarlo Stanton. 

The double — a few feet from scrapping the top of the right field wall — snuck past Kyle Tucker off the bounce. Chas McCormick fielded it and hurled the ball into in the infield to prevent Rizzo from stretching towards home.

Runners stood in scoring position, and facing the middle of the order, Verlander looked to be unraveling. But then the Cy Young winner's switch flipped on. Carving through Josh Donaldson on three pitches, Verlander froze Matt Carpenter on a full count to end the threat.

The dominance continued. Verlander retired the next 11 batters in a row, nine by punch out, fanning six consecutive Yankees after Stanton's extra-base hit. The righty matched his ALCS record of six consecutive strikeouts.

Through six innings, Verlander climbed back for one the best postseason starts of his career, marking his eighth October outing with 10 or more strikeouts. His 11 strikeouts moved him back to first all time in the postseason category with 219, passing Clayton Kershaw for a second time this fall.

Houston Astros First Baseman Yuli Gurriel / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Behind Verlander, Houston posted one run for its starter before a loud sixth inning. Martín Maldonado doubled home Chas McCormick in the second inning in response to Bader's solo home run.

But runs weren't pouring after Verlander left the mound at the top of each frame. Stranding four runners through the first two innings, the Astros had left another two in scoring position in the fifth when Kyle Tucker grounded into a double play with the bases juiced.

Nothing looked to be on track in terms of run production, until Yuli Gurriel stepped into the box the following inning. After a down season, one where he saw his worst output in a full year, the first baseman has stepped up in the postseason. 

On an 0-2 count, Gurriel clubbed a solo home run to left field, his second home run of the postseason. And as the smoke of the fireworks bled into the air at Minute Maid Park, Chas McCormick — who reached base three times — added another solo shot two batters later to ignite an offense on life support runs since Game 2 of the ALDS.

Flipping into the next frame, Héctor Neris continued his excitement, striking out one batter in an inning of work. Then, Jeremy Peña took the stage in the bottom half, clubbing his second home run of the postseason on a three-hit night. Peña's two other hits were doubles, marking the first time the rookie had ever hit two doubles in a Major League game.

Rafael Montero manned the eighth. Looking to keep his scoreless streak alive, the righty faced Rizzo, working him two strikes with two outs. And while trailing by three, the lefty clubbed a solo home run to put New York within two runs.

Stanton followed with a single. Montero — who has been on the top step all postseason — walked Donaldson on a full count, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate.

Manager Dusty Baker saw enough, handing off the ball off to his closer, Ryan Pressly. Against the club that saw him hit rock bottom early in the season, Pressly slammed the door.

With two on, the Astros' closer punched out Carpenter. The team that turned his season around in June couldn't touch him in October. Pressly took Game 1 for Houston with a scoreless-ninth inning, adding two more strikeouts to Houston's 17 on the day, tied the club's postseason record for a nine-inning game set in the 2019 ALDS.

Game 2 of the ALCS is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. Thursday at Minute Maid Park. Framber Valdez is the Astros' probable starter and is expected to face Yankees right-hander Luis Severino.

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