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SPORTS Saturday 19 OctOber 2019
Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees

By JAKE SEINER
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — They
have the pitching, and
they don't need the pitch-
es. Certainly, the Houston
Astros have confidence for
good reason on the brink of
another World Series.
"It's Justin Verlander," reliev-
er Ryan Pressly said.
George Springer and Car-
los Correa each hit three-
run homers and the Astros
got another wild ace off the
hook to beat the dishev-
eled New York Yankees 8-3
Thursday night and reach
the cusp of a second World
Series visit in three years.
The Astros lead the AL
Championship Series 3-1,
putting the 2017 World Se-
ries winners a step away
from a showdown with the
NL champion Washington
Nationals.
Houston still has Verlander
and Gerrit Cole queued
up for this series, and the Houston Astros center fielder George Springer (4) and shortstop Carlos Correa (1) celebrate after the Astros beat the New York
Yankees will have to beat Yankees 8-3 in Game 4 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, in New York.
both to survive. Verlander Associated Press
will start Game 5 on Friday 28-pitch first inning, but just the Houston players who Torres — on a tight check son with his two-run homer
night against James Pax- like against Cole in Game 3, stood and clapped for the swing — and Edwin Encar- in the sixth.
ton. the clutch hit never came. 39-year-old. nación to escape. Otherwise, the AL East
Springer lined an errant Pressly dodged a bases- "I hate to see that for him," "So far this series our bullpen champion Yankees looked
splitter from playoff star loaded jam in the fifth, and said Hinch, who played has been huge to comple- like they belonged in a
Masahiro Tanaka in the many fans had left Yankee with and against Sabathia. ment a really good starting lesser league. Sure-handed
third inning for his homer, Stadium by the time it end- "I hate to see that for the rotation," Hinch said. first baseman DJ LeMahieu
and Correa battered Chad ed shortly before 12:30 a.m. sport." Greinke was charged booted two groundballs,
Green's fastball when New The Yankees are at risk of Gary Sánchez ended a with just one run, working Torres also made two er-
York turned to its vaunted failing to make the World lengthy postseason slide around four walks against rors at second, and reliever
bullpen. Those All-Star slug- Series for an entire decade with a two-run homer, but the patient-but-punchless Adam Ottavino was pulled
gers have combined for for the first time since the a reshuffled Yankees line- Yankees. before getting an out for
just five hits in the series, but 1910s. They are 0 for 13 with up — still without injured "Just missing by a little bit the fourth time in seven ap-
four have been homers. runners in scoring position Giancarlo Stanton — again early," Greinke said. pearances this postseason.
Earlier in the day, Astros the past two games. Didn't couldn't string together its Springer is batting .132 in "Our guys are studs and
manager AJ Hinch ardent- help when they committed damage. these playoffs, slumping just I think they embrace the
ly denied that his team has four errors in Game 4, most During warmups, a buzzing like he did in 2017 before challenge," Boone said.
skirted rules to steal signs ever for the club in a home Bronx crowd jeered Grein- breaking out to win World "Obviously we've got our
after an allegation by the postseason game. ke with chants of "Donald! Series MVP. This homer was backs against the wall
Yankees, which was inves- "We played poorly tonight, Donald!" — his given first his 13th in the postseason, now."
tigated and cleared by there's no other way to ex- name — and the veteran snapping a tie with team- TRAINER'S ROOM
Major League Baseball. plain it," manager Aaron right-hander wobbled ear- mate Jose Altuve for the Yankees: Stanton has
He also made it clear: If Boone said. "And we need ly. He walked three in the club record. missed the past three
a pitcher is tipping what's to flush this immediately." first inning for the first time Correa made it 6-1 in the games after straining his
coming, Houston will take Tanaka allowed four runs since April 2007, including sixth. At 25 years, 25 days, right quad in Game 1.
advantage. — three earned — for New a four-pitch, bases-loaded he is the youngest player Boone said Stanton was
The Astros are tired of that York, his most in eight post- free pass to Brett Gardner, with 10 postseason home available to pinch hit and
talk detracting from their season starts. and fell into a quick 1-0 runs, surpassing Albert Pu- could be New York's desig-
sluggers. CC Sabathia pitched in hole. jols. "I grew up a huge fan nated hitter Friday.
"I think it's disrespectful that relief for New York but was Greinke struggled especial- of Albert Pujols," Correa UP NEXT
every time we score a lot pulled with a left shoulder ly to locate his fastball be- said. "I even wear No. 5 all Paxton said he watched
of runs, people talk about injury during the eighth in- fore blowing one past Sán- the way growing up." tape from his Game 2 start
tipping," Correa said. "No- ning. Planning to retire after chez during a three-pitch Correa ended Game 2 with and insists he wasn't tipping
body was tipping today the season, an emotional K to end the inning. He a home run in the 11th in- pitches. Houston grinded
and we scored, what, eight Sabathia covered his face sharpened up and retired ning and connected again him out of the game after
runs? We're great hitters. with his glove as he left the nine straight before the in October after missing a 2 1/3 innings. Verlander
We've been doing it for a field for likely the final time. Yankees pushed him out lot of time this year with in- pitched two-run ball into
whole season." Fans shouted his name as of the game while loading juries. the seventh, the only dam-
New York worked starter he walked off, and Cole the bases in the fifth. Sánchez snapped a 2-for- age coming on Aaron
Zack Greinke hard during a and Springer were among Pressly struck out Gleyber 23 skid to start this postsea- Judge's two-run homer.q