The Yankees gave Girardi and fans something to enjoy for various portions of the regular season, putting together a run of 35 wins in 55 games from May 25-July 28.
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After all that losing, this was one October win to remember.
Keuchel yielded just three hits over six scoreless innings.
“It stinks to lose”, manager Joe Girardi said.
The Astros now advance to the best of seven American League Divisional Series against the Kansas City Royals.
Aaron Boone broke the Red Sox hearts with his ALCS-winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 that sent the Yankees to the 2003 World Series. While Luis Severino (21), first baseman Greg Bird (22) and second baseman Rob Refsnyder (24) showed promise during the second half, Cashman cautioned on expecting additional top pitching help from the minors. Gomez, who only had five plate appearances after missing almost two weeks with a strained chest muscle in mid-September, connected on the first offering of the fourth. Now another problem with this is that the Yankees are stuck with Ellsbury for many years to come, is he a player that you have to rest daily throughout the year?
“Never would I imagine that I would have pitched that well or we would have played that well in Yankee Stadium, on that big a stage”. In the seventh, Jose Altuve singled to left, scoring Jonathan Villar for the Astros final run. The boos from the 50,113 stunned fans in the crowd grew with each out as Gregerson closed for a save. The Astros raced to an area between first and second base after Brian McCann grounded out to end the game and jumped in a big scrum. With a lackluster record playing the Astros previously in the season, home field advantage will do the Royals well. “Guys are going to get banged up”, Teixeira said. “It’s going to be a few grind-it-out baseball”, Rasmus said. “We come here to New York, play against one of the best teams in baseball, and we did it”. “It’s going to be fun”. He popped out, then stayed in the game on defense.
At 30 years, 31 days, the Yankees began the season with the fifth-oldest roster, according to STATS. Then before working out Monday, they learned CC Sabathia was checking into an alcohol rehab facility and would miss the postseason.
Nobody projected the New York Yankees to be standing inside a somber clubhouse talking about a disappointing playoff loss. “But we just haven’t been able to solve (Astros pitcher Dallas) Keuchel this year”. And I told the guys in that room, they gave me everything they had…everything.
The Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card playoff game at Yankee Stadium.
Keuchel extended his scoreless innings streak over the Yankees to 28, dating back to 2014. “A-Rod coming up. It doesn’t get any more exciting than that”.
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Tanaka threw 83 pitches and tied a season high with three walks. He labored through five innings, allowing four hits, three walks and two earned runs with only three strikeouts. “And we just didn’t get it done”.
