The Houston Astros overpowered the New York Yankees throughout the American League Championship Series. With a 6-5 win at Yankee Stadium, the Astros swept the Bronx Bombers and advanced to their fourth World Series in six years.
Adding to the impressive run for the Astros, who won 106 games before the playoffs started, they have not lost a single game in the playoffs, going 7-0 through the first two series. Astros Manager Dusty Baker reflected on their achievements.
“It’s a long road to get here,” said Baker to ESPN. “There’s a lot that happens in the months to get here from spring training. It means that we persevered and we stayed together, and we made the necessary trades when we had to try to strengthen certain parts of our team.”
The Yankees now face a tough offseason, which could also end Aaron Judge’s time with the team as he enters free agency.
“We got beat by a better team right now and that’s the reality of it,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “They’re clearly setting the mark in this league that we’re aspiring to get to.”
The Astros will face the Philadelphia Phillies, who bounced the San Diego Padres on Sunday behind the stellar play of superstar Bryce Harper.
During the 4-3 series-clinching victory, Harper set a blast into left field, scoring two runs and assisting the Phillies to reach the main stage of baseball for the first time since 2009.
“I didn’t want to get back on that flight back to San Diego. I just didn’t want to get on a 5½-hour flight,” Harper said. “I wanted to hang out at home and enjoy this at home with these fans and this organization and this fan base.”
Game 1 of the World Series between the Phillies and Padres will begin in Houston on Thursday.
