Oct 17, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Gary Sanchez (24) hits a two RBI double against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in game four of the 2017 ALCS playoff baseball series at Yankee Stadium. Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — Gary Sanchez hit a tiebreaking, two-run double with one out in the eighth inning as the New York Yankees stormed back to even the American League Championship Series at two games apiece with a 6-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday.
Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday, the Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka opposing Astros ace Dallas Keuchel. Game 6 is Friday in Houston, where the Astros opened the series with a pair of 2-1 victories.
Aaron Judge started the comeback by opening homering off Houston starter Lance McCullers on the first pitch of the seventh. Judge then tied the game in the eighth with a long double off the left field wall against Ken Giles (0-1).
After Judge moved to third on a base hit by Didi Gregorius, Sanchez laced Giles’ 2-0 fastball to deep center field, scoring both runners.
Following Judge’s homer in the seventh, the Yankees crept closer on a sacrifice fly by Sanchez later that inning off Chris Devenski and a run-scoring groundout by Brett Gardner in the eighth.
Houston took a 3-0 lead on a bases-clearing double by Yuli Gurriel in the sixth off David Robertson. The Astros went up 4-0 un the top of the seventh when Marwin Gonzalez scored on an error by second baseman Starlin Castro.
Chad Green (1-0) pitched two innings and was credited with the win. He allowed one unearned run. Aroldis Chapman fanned two in a scoreless ninth and notched his third save of the postseason.
McCullers held the Yankees to one run on two hits in six-plus innings before Houston collapsed.
New York’s Sonny Gray gave up two runs (one earned) and one hit in five-plus innings, exiting after losing the strike zone in the sixth. He was lifted after bouncing ball one in the dirt to Jose Altuve, and the Astros broke through when Gurriel lined Robertson’s curveball down the left field line.
The Astros were held to three hits as Altuve and Carlos Correa were a combined 0-for-6.
NOTES: New York manager Joe Girardi said using C Austin Romine in RHP Sonny Gray’s simulated game Friday was a precursor to Romine starting Game 4. Romine committed an error that led to a Houston run. … Asked about the reaction pregame at Yankee Stadium before Game 3, Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel said: “To have some boos last night getting introduced, that was a nice feel. You get boos against the evil empire at the home turf, it makes you feel good just because you’re doing your job correctly. … Houston’s left-handed hitters were 0-for-28 in the series until switch-hitting DH Carlos Beltran doubled in the second inning.
