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Mary RiveraESPN Writer
HOUSTON – Events Astros quickly run out of superlatives in the description Justin Verlandertheir performance in the previous 4-2 win New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night.
Echoes of “First Hall of Fame” and “trumps” were heard throughout the Astros club after Verlander beat 11 beaters in six innings and allowed only one run to earn. .
But what was really different about his performance was the fact that the 39-year-old Verlander wasn’t stellar at first, coming out of one of the worst post-season games of his illustrious career, having allows six runs on 10 shots in the first game of the squad series. against Seattle Mariners.
Astros got a comeback win over Seattle with a three-time run, slugger’s walk home Yordan Alvarez, with Verlander noticeably showing rust and lack of command. Even so, it’s no surprise that the catcher Martin Maldonado that his trump card quickly returns to form when he is needed most.
“This is exactly what I expected of him,” Maldonado told ESPN. “That’s why he’s a Hall of Famer.”
“He’s not only physically strong, you can see, but he’s also very strong mentally,” added manager Dusty Baker, praising Verlander. “This guy, he has mental toughness. When he has a mental breakdown and it looks like you got him in trouble, I mean, this guy, he can fix it. .”
While the Astros fell behind in the second round the following Wednesday night Harrison Bader tagging him with a solo hit, Verlander hit back, taking back the last 11 Yankees he’s faced in a row, with nine punches.
Verlander’s total of 11 goals earned him his eighth career double-digit strike streak after the season, setting an MLB record. Verlander also became the new offensive king after the season, setting a major league record with 219 career shots in the knockout stages, surpassing Clayton Kershawof 213.
“I think you’ve seen what a Hall of Fame pitcher really does tonight,” initiator Lance McCullers Jr. speak. “He’s had a rough start in DS. You don’t have to hit around the bush; it’s not a great start. I know he wants to do better. … You’ve seen him. He’s been working all week. He feels like he’s got some tweaks to make, and he’s made the adjustments. … In a series of games where there’s only one day off, he can. gave us an incredible six innings, which says a lot about him as a pitcher and a competitor.”
The Yankees finished the game with 17 strikes, placing second in a nine-round game in post-season history. With the Astros making just two appearances, their 15-hit spread became the largest in a single game in post-season history.
“He gave us exactly the kind of performance we needed, and I feel that I always say the same about Verlander,” Jose Altuve, who is stuck in a slump after the longest season of his career at 0 to 19. “This is a huge win for us, along with our bullpen, a special game of the whole season. He set the tone and allowed us to win the first game. , which is very important in a tough series like this and against a great team like the Yankees.”
Verlander improved to 5-1 with a 2.62 ERA in nine seasons after a career began against the Yankees. It was Verlander’s 15th career win after the season, edging Hall of Famer John Smoltz for second all-time (Andy Pettitte leads with 19).
The Astros have improved to 10-5 at all times in the post-season game against New York, including a 7-1 record at Minute Maid Park.
