Relievers Tony Sipp, Will Harris and Luke Gregerson pitched one scoreless inning each to combine with Keuchel on the three-hit shutout.
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Another element that more than likely influenced the Yankees morale going into the game was the announcement that one of their leaders and more respected veterans, pitcher C.C. Sabathia would not be playing because he checked into an alcohol treatment program.
Kansas City won two of three home games against Houston during the regular season.
Girardi was asked about whether it’s hard to sit a guy making that kind of money in a playoff game. “It didn’t take me too much to get up for this game”.
Tanaka struggled with home runs this season, giving up 25 homers in 24 starts. Brett Gardner took Ellsbury’s spot in center field and atop the batting order and finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Tanaka allowed two runs and four hits in five innings, but his outing was not enough as the Yankees continued sputtering offensively. Rasmus’ was an absolute bomb to right field, just to the left of the second deck.
“It’s really disappointing”, New York manager Joe Girardi said. “He had a fastball he kind of pulled to Rasmus”. “We know he’s a great pitcher and we know he’s going to get the job done”, Houston shortstop Carlos Correa said. “We haven’t done it”.
“He just made a few mistakes”, said Girardi.
“He was as good as it gets”, Rodriguez said. He had been shaky ever since then, and also game up another solo home run to Carlos Gomez.
Dallas Keuchel #60 of the Houston Astros celebrates after striking out the New York Yankees in the first inning during the American League Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on October 6, 2015 in New York City.
Hinch called the decision to leave in Keuchel “a tough one”. “None of those are easy, and we could have gone a couple different ways”.
Last night, I was joined by one of our writers on the Yanks Go Yard staff, Harrison Marder to analyze last night’s 3-0 loss to the Astros. “You always feel like he’s under control”.
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“But getting that out was the most important out certainly up to that point”. Doing so with Keuchel on short rest didn’t concern him. Three singles and three walks accounted for their only base runners, and they didn’t do any better against the Astros’ pen than they did against their ace.
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Dellin Betances replaced Justin Wilson in the top of the seventh inning and immediately walked Chris Carter, who was replaced at first base by pinch runner Jonathan Villar. It was routine out in the middle of the eighth inning, and there was a growing sense that Yankee Stadium had seen this game before. But, on the backs of Keuchel and their young offensive core, the Astros look to prove to everyone that they are just not a good story, but a team that has a serious shot at winning the World Series.
