Yankees-Astros ALCS Game 6: In Real Life
The Astros defeated the Yankees, 7-1, on Friday night in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series presented by Camping World, pushing the series to a decisive Game 7 tonight (8 p.m. ET/FS1) in Houston.
• ALCS Game 7: Tonight, 8 p.m. ET on FS1
MLB.com was on the scene at Minute Maid Park.
11:07 p.m. ET: Altuve, Astros answer Judge, add on
The Astros broke it open in the eighth, with Jose Altuve leading things off by homering into the Crawford Boxes in left field against Yankees reliever Player Page for David Robertson. Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel followed with a double and single, respectively, and both were driven in by an Alex Bregman double to make it 6-1. That chased Robertson from the game with nobody out in the inning.
10:49 p.m. ET: Judge unloads mammoth blast
Aaron Judge got the Yankees on the board with a long solo homer off Astros reliever Brad Peacock, sending a first-pitch fastball over the heart of the plate well over the wall in left-center field. It's Judge's third home run of the ALCS, and fourth this postseason. The ball left the bat at 112.1 mph per Statcast™.
10:45 p.m. ET: Verlander delivers gem
With Brad Peacock entering the game to pitch the eighth inning for the Astros, Justin Verlander's night is complete, and by adding seven scoreless frames tonight, his ALCS line is as follows: 16 innings pitched, one run ( 0.56 ERA) on 10 hits, two walks and 21 strikeouts.
10:34 p.m. ET: By George! Wall-crashing grab denies NY
With two on, one out and Todd Frazier representing the tying run at the plate in the seventh, Frazier smoked a ball off Justin Verlander to deep center field, where George Springer made a leaping grab at the fence. In the prior at-bat, Aaron Hicks represented the tying run and jumped in front with a 3-0 count. But Verlander came back to get two strikes, followed by four foul balls and a swinging strike three on a nasty slider. Through seven, New York has stranded six runners on base.
10:06 p.m. ET: Verlander keeps Yanks at bay
Justin Verlander found himself in trouble in the sixth, giving up a pair of singles to bring the tying run to the plate in Gary Sanchez. But Verlander got Sanchez to hit a check-swing ground ball to short on a 3-0 count, ending the threat. Verlander also struck out Aaron Judge in the frame, marking Judge's 26th strikeout of this postseason, which tied an all-time record (Alfonso Soriano in 2003). Verlander has blanked Houston for 14 of 15 innings he's pitched in the ALCS.
9:39 p.m. ET: McCann, Altuve break the deadlock
Former Yankee catcher Brian McCann delivered the game's first run-scoring hit, a ground-rule double to right field off Luis Severino in the fifth. The ball left the bat with an exit velocity of 103.4 mph, per Statcast™. Prior to that double, McCann had been 0-for-11 in this ALCS, and 2-for-27 with no extra-base hits during this postseason. Jose Altuve then delivered another big hit for the Astros, this time a two-out, two-run single to left that was just out of the reach of Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier. Altuve is now batting .378 (14-for-37) this postseason, with six RBIs -- the two tonight being his first two of the ALCS. Altuve's hit chased Severino from the game.
9:34 p.m. ET: Verlander fools Frazier
Justin Verlander's sixth strikeout of the night came on an extremely awkward swing by Todd Frazier, who waved feebly at a devastating 1-2 curveball from the veteran right-hander.
9:26 p.m. ET: No more no-no
Luis Severino gave up his first hit -- a Carlos Correa single to right field in the fourth inning -- but the Astros couldn't score for the 15th consecutive inning, a season-high. As a team, the Astros are batting .141 (23-for-163) for the series through tonight's fourth inning, and only one of eight balls in play against Severino tonight have been hit hard, per Statcast™ (95 mph exit velocity or higher): the Correa single, which had an exit velocity of 100.7 mph. Justin Verlander, meanwhile, continues to overpower the Yankees, now having struck out 18 and walked only one in 14 innings during this ALCS.
8:59 p.m. ET: Severino silencing Astros early
Luis Severino is riding his fastball, which has accounted for 22 of his 40 pitches through three no-hit innings, hitting 100.8 mph to strike out George Springer and end the third. After throwing 62 pitches in ALCS Game 2, the right-hander is looking well-rested with his velocity and effectiveness so far.
8:15 p.m. ET: With Minute Maid rockin', Verlander takes mound
After a leadoff single by Brett Gardner, Justin Verlander escaped the first inning unscathed -- and on only 11 pitches -- thanks to a slick 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Aaron Judge and a popout by Didi Gregorius. Verlander has given up one run in 10 innings against the Yankees in the ALCS.
7:39 p.m. ET: Start me up
Justin Verlander makes the long walk out to the bullpen ahead of his Game 6 start.
7:15 p.m. ET: Yanks get in the zone
With batting practice over, the Yankees return to the clubhouse to prepare for first pitch.
7:12 p.m. ET: Away we go
The Yankees may be the visiting team tonight, but they've definitely got their share of fans in the house at Minute Maid Park.
6:20 p.m. ET: Texas trio
Yuli Gurriel, Marwin Gonzalez and Carlos Correa share a moment during batting practice.
6:07 p.m. ET: All-time greats
Hall of Famers Craig Biggio and John Smoltz meet on the field before Game 6. Interestingly, Smoltz faced Biggio more than any other batter, holding the Astros legend to a .239 average over 117 at-bats.
6:02 p.m. ET: On behalf of the staff
Minute Maid Park employees looking sharp for Game 6.
5:46 p.m. ET: Girardi: Yankees' approach stays the same with clinch on line
5:34 p.m. ET: Star power
Houston manager A.J. Hinch talks to four of his most potent offensive weapons during warmups.
4:59 p.m. ET: Cora reef
Astros bench coach Alex Cora -- a frontrunner for several open managerial positions, including Boston's -- and general manager Jeff Luhnow talk on the field before Game 6.
4:48 p.m. ET: Hinch: Astros not content to be AL West champions
Houston manager A.J. Hinch addresses the media before a make-or-break Game 6.
4:40 p.m. ET: Yankees name starting nine behind Severino
The Yankees and Astros announced their Game 6 lineups moments apart, a little more than three hours before first pitch. More >
4:37 p.m. ET: Houston sets Game 6 lineup
4:10 p.m. ET: Interior design
It's the calm before the storm inside Minute Maid Park.
2:22 p.m. ET: Knock, knock Hoch
MLB.com Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch is hot on the beat at Minute Maid Park more than five hours before first pitch. Catch him on MLB Network this afternoon.
1:06 p.m. ET: Home cooking
Yuli Gurriel and the Astros are happy to be out of The Bronx and back in Houston, where they are undefeated this postseason.