Saturday ALDS Results: Astros Take 2-0 Lead; Yanks Tie Red Sox

Saturday’s Division Series action featured American League games between the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros, as well as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The Astros came out on top in a relatively low-scoring affair to take a 2-0 lead to Cleveland on Monday, while the Yankees powered their way past the Red Sox pitching staff to even the series at one game apiece.

Astros 3, Indians 1

Houston Leads 2-0

W: Cole; L: Carrasco; S: Osuna

Player of the Game: Alex Bregman (1-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HR)

Astros SP Gerrit Cole shut down the Indians over 7.0 IP, allowing 1 run (a solo shot by INF Francisco Lindor in the top of the 3rd) on just 3 hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts. OF Marwin Gonzalez hit a 2-run double off RP Andrew Miller to drive in INF José Altuve and INF Alex Bregman in the bottom of the 6th inning, while Bregman hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 7th to add an insurance run, his second of the series. RP Roberto Osuna, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays after he served a 75-game suspension under the MLB domestic violence policy resulting from an assault arrest, came on to lock down a 4-out save for the home team. Unlike players who violate the league’s PED policy, players determined to have violated the domestic violence policy due to committing abuse are allowed to participate in the MLB postseason.

Yankees 6, Red Sox 2

Series Tied 1-1

W: Tanaka; L: Price

Player of the Game: Gary Sánchez (2-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR)

Boston SP David Price, who has a history of struggles against the Bronx Bombers since joining the Red Sox, lasted just 1.2 innings, giving up 3 runs on the same number of hits with 3 walks. OF Aaron Judge hit a solo bomb over the Green Monster in the top of the 1st, and C Gary Sánchez followed up with another solo homer in the top of the 2nd. Later on in the 2nd, following 2-out walks to INF Gleyber Torres and OF Brett Gardner, OF Andrew McCutchen singled to left to plate Torres, prompting Price’s removal from the game.

Boston got on the board in the bottom of the 4th on a solo shot by INF Xander Bogaerts, but the Bronx Bombers broke the game open on a 3-run drive to the street projected at 479 feet that brought in Judge and DH Giancarlo Stanton. The Sawk managed to scratch out an additional run in the bottom of the 7th on an Ian Kinsler double scoring INF Mitch Moreland, but the Yankees’ top relievers were able to hold the home team at bay to tie up the series.

Sunday is a travel day for the AL teams, but NLDS action will resume with the Milwaukee Brewers at the Colorado Rockies beginning at 4:37 PM ET and the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Atlanta Braves in prime-time starting at 8:07 PM ET.