Sunday, October 23, 2022

Astros Sweep Yankees to Win Back to Back AL Pennants; 4th AL Title Since 2017


The Houston Astros have swept the New York Yankees in the ALCS defeating the Bronx Bombers 6-5 in Game 4.

The Astros have won back to back AL pennants becoming the first AL team to do so since the Kansas City Royals pulled it off in 2014 and 2015. This is the Astros' fourth AL pennant since 2017. 

This was the Yankees' best effort of the series taking an early 3-0 lead on singles by Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres in the first and an Anthony Rizzo double in the second. However, the Astros would tie the score in the third on a three-run HR by Jeremy Pena. Houston would take a 4-3 lead on a Yuli Gurriel single.

The Yankees would tie the game in the 4th on a single by Rizzo in the fourth and would take a 5-4 lead in the sixth on a HR by Harrison Bader. But singles by Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman would give the Astros the lead for good.

In what might prove to be the final at bat of his Yankee career, Aaron Judge grounded out to Gurriel at first to end the series. After eclipsing Roger Maris with 62 HR and very likely the AL MVP, Judge went 1 for 16 in the ALCS and was hearing boos from the Yankees faithless.

Meanwhile, rookie shortstop Jeremy Pena won ALCS MVP honors going 6 for 17 (.353) with 2 HR and 5 RBIs along with two doubles. 

The Astros will host the Philadelphia Phillies for Game 1 of the 2022 World Series beginning Friday night. Given the Astros are undefeated in this post-season they will be heavy favorites. But I wouldn't sell the Phillies short. They are a feisty team. Or should I say Pheisty? Both teams will have four days off so this might be a more competitive World Series than you might think.

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