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SPORTS Tuesday 15 OcTOber 2019
Correa HR in 11th as Astros top Yankees 3-2; ALCS tied at 1

HOUSTON (AP) — In a battle the sixth. With runners at first
of the bullpens, Carlos Cor- and second, and on the
rea felt the greatest relief. move on a full-count pitch
Injured down the stretch with two outs, Brett Gard-
and slumping this month, ner hit a hard grounder
Correa hit a leadoff home that bounced off second
run in the 11th inning that baseman José Altuve for a
lifted the Houston Astros single.
over the New York Yankees The ball bounded away
3-2 Sunday night, tying the and Correa quickly re-
AL Championship Series at trieved it and threw a strike
one game apiece. to catcher Robinson Chiri-
Correa, who earlier lined nos, who tagged out the
an RBI double and made sliding DJ LeMahieu.
a sensational play at short- Verlander pumped his fist
stop, connected for an op- and screamed "let's go!" as
posite-field shot to right off he came off the field and
J.A. Happ. Correa shook his finger with
"Not playing a couple of a look that said: "not on my
weeks before the playoffs watch."
and then not producing Cameras then panned
for or my team offensively, to Verlander's supermod-
obviously it's tough, get- el wife, Kate Upton, who
ting hurt and everything," jumped and cheered from
the All-Star said. "But it's a luxury suite.
all worth it for moments "I just tried creeping over
like this, moments like this and as soon as the ball hit
where you give your team him, I scooped it and he
a chance to win every day, sent him, so I had to gun
it's worth it, man." him down," Correa said.
Hours earlier, Correa was Correa ended an 0-for-14
confident this would be slump with an RBI double in
the day he turned things the second off James Pax-
around. About time, too, ton, who lasted just 2 1/3 in-
after starting out 3 for 22 in nings.
the postseason after return- Hours later, Correa ended it
ing from back problems. with his drive off Happ. Cor-
"I've got my swing back," rea is 6 for 12 with two hom-
he said then. "I'm going to Houston Astros' Carlos Correa hits a walk-off home run against the New York Yankees during the ers against the lefty.
hit a homer tonight." 11th inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, "It's been a tough road this
And with a swing that kept in Houston. year but I'm finally here and
Houston from falling into an I was able to contribute to-
0-2 hole, he did just that. I was so hyped." permitted only one run and four wins. night," he said.
"Going into that last inning Correa's big night gave him two hits with 11 strikeouts in "It was a struggle tonight," TRAINER'S ROOM
I thought: 'I got this. I feel 27 RBIs in the postseason to 7 2/3 innings before Correa Yankees manager Aaron Yankees: Slugger Giancarlo
like I got this,'" Correa said. pass Lance Berkman for homered, ending a game Boone said. "They're tough Stanton missed the game
"And I had the right ap- the most in franchise his- that took 4 hours, 49 min- to score runs off, especially with a strained right quad.
proach against him. I've tory. And it was a familiar utes and finished just be- on a night when Verlander He homered in the opener.
been successful against scene — in Game 2 of the fore midnight. is out there." "So hoping that it's some-
him going the other way. 2017 ALCS against the Yan- Houston's five relievers Aaron Judge put the Yan- thing that with today and
And that's what I try to do, kees, Correa hit a walk-off combined for 4 1/3 innings kees on top 2-1 with a two- the off day, that he would
I saw a good pitch down double in the ninth. of one-hit shutout ball after run shot off Verlander in the be back in play for Game
the middle and I drove the "You look at his RBI totals in taking over for Justin Ver- fourth. It was his first homer 3," Boone said.
other way." the postseason, you look at lander. Going into this best- this postseason and the UP NEXT
Correa watched the ball his walk-offs, you look at the of-seven series, the Yan- eighth in his playoff career. Cole was 2-0 with a 0.57 ERA
sail, tossed his bat, put his big moments, he's a pretty kees were considered the George Springer tied it in and 25 strikeouts across 15
hand to one ear to soak in special man," manager AJ better team in the bullpen the fifth with his franchise- 2/3 innings against the Rays
the roars of the crowd and Hinch said. — the Astros amply held record 12th career post- in the ALDS. The 29-year-old
then held up one finger Game 3 is Tuesday after- their own in this one. season home run. The 2017 led the AL with a career-
as he rounded the bases. noon at Yankee Stadium. "Our bullpen was nasty, World Series MVP homered best 2.50 ERA and was first
As he approached home Gerrit Cole, who is 18-0 in gave us a chance to win on the first pitch after reliev- in the majors with 326 strike-
plate, he tossed his helmet his last 24 starts and led the the game," Correa said. er Adam Ottavino entered. outs in the regular season.
as if shooting a basketball majors in strikeouts, starts Gary Sánchez struck out "Just back and forth — This will be the eighth post-
at the crowd of teammates for the Astros against Luis looking to end the Yankees the two best ballclubs in season start for Severino,
waiting for him. Severino. 11th with runners on first the game," Judge said. "I who did not factor in the
"As soon as I hit it I knew it "The game of baseball, it's and second. The pitch ap- wish we could have come decision in New York's
was going to go over the a beautiful game," Correa peared outside — it came away with two here, but Game 3 win over Minne-
fence," he said. "The adren- said. right after he swung and now time to regroup and sota. Severino, who made
aline started pumping like The Yankees tied a League missed with two strikes, but get ready for Tuesday." just three regular-season
crazy. I don't even know Championship Series re- was ruled a foul ball. Along with his bat, Correa starts because of a late in-
what I did. I've got to go cord by using nine pitch- New York lost for the first made the key play in the jury, allowed four hits in four
watch the video. But I know ers. The eight relievers had time this postseason after field to keep it tied at 2 in innings against the Twins.q