Ticket prices at Yankee Stadium dropped sharply from game three to game four of the American League Championship Series, after the Bronx’s ninth was left on the ropes, one game away from the umpteenth premature elimination in recent times. The move, as expected, paid off and more than 46,000 people filled the New York fiefdom, although the outcome of the duel ended up being the same as in previous days: a victory for the Astros.
The squad led by Dusty Baker once again took advantage of the Yankees’ fragility and completed the sweep with a much more placid victory than the score reflected (6-5). Despite the minimal difference, Houston gave the impression of having the fate of the match under control, even when they were behind on the board, supported by a dynamic and very consistent offense in moments of pressure.
Dominican rookie Jeremy Peña brought out his power and class when they were down on the board, Yulieski Gurriel gave a temporary lead, while Yordan Álvarez and Alex Bregman were in charge of completing the final turn against a Yankees that, throughout the Series, offered a hesitant and erratic image.
This Sunday, it seemed that it could be different, as they scored three runs in the first two innings, but it was just a mirage. Néstor Cortés Jr., a man who hadn’t allowed three runs in a game since mid-August, now gave up three runs on a single swing from Jeremy Peña, who bounced the ball to him with two runners in circulation late in the first third.
The Dominican shortstop took advantage of a cutter from the Cuban in the inside zone and unloaded all his strength with a long fly ball that landed in the left field stands. That bombshell, added to Cortés’s injury that forced him out of the game, were already very clear signs of the terminal state of the Yankees, entrusted to their weak bullpen since the third episode of a game of life or death.
Precisely, the first reliever of the Bombers received a disrespectful reception from the artillery of the Astros. Yordan Álvarez hit a long line drive to right that doubled, Kyle Tucker walked him and Yuli Gurriel grounded in the team’s lead to right.
The man from Sancti Spiritus, who hasn’t stopped hitting since the beginning of October, reached 38 RBIs in his playoff history, just two short of matching Mickey Mantle and becoming the 20th player with at least 40 RBIs in the postseason.
Despite the superiority, the Yankees did not give up their weapons and gave a couple of “drowning kicks”. Anthony Rizzo put the tie back on the board and Harrison Bader hit his fifth home run in the last nine games (second-best mark in the postseason for a New York center fielder after Bernie Williams’ six in 1996), valid to place his team nine outs from victory.
But that was nothing for the Astros, who managed to silence the Bronx stands thanks to their opportunity with the wood and their ability to take advantage of the smallest rival error. And the Yankees made two fumbles on routine plays that ultimately cost them elimination.
In the seventh, with one out on the board, José Altuve hit a weak ground ball to the right of the infield and was safe at first after Nicaraguan pitcher Jonathan Loasiga was slow to come in to cover first. Later, Jeremy Peña hit another ground ball to second base, ideal for the double play, but Gleyber Torres threw badly to second base and left everyone alive.
These types of errors are paid dearly and this was certified by Yordan Álvarez. The Cuban settled accounts with a single to right that equalized the actions, while Alex Bregman completed the comeback with another rocket to left.
Already with that minimal advantage, history was written. Relievers Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly retired nine batters in order in the final third and sentenced the Yankees, who were never able to decipher the conundrum of the Astros’ bullpen.
In the ALCS, the Houston Firefighters pitched 12 2/3 innings, allowing only two runs for a 1.42 ERA, the best among the four Fall Classic contenders. In total, they faced 48 batters and retired 19 via strikes, with a WHIP of 0.79 and a rival average of .116, leaders in each of those departments.
As fate would have it, Aaron Judge, the man with 62 homers in the regular season, was the last out of the Bombers in 2022, a year that may have marked the end of his career in pinstripes. The slugger ends his contract and his future is an absolute unknown, like that of the Yankees.
The risk paid off: the Phillies returned to a World Series
This time, baseball rewarded the risky franchise. Before the 2022 season began, the Phillies arranged a meeting, which included the team’s main figure, Bryce Harper, president of operations, Dave Dombrowski, former manager Joe Girardi and owner, John Middleton.
After several minutes they reached a consensus, for the first time in history they would pass the luxury tax on one condition: reach the World Series. Seven months later they have achieved the goal.
The road was not easy, rather, it was similar to the roller coaster ride. From the signings of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to the firing of Joe Girardi; from the collapse of the bullpen to the profitable trade deadline. After all, each step supported the vision of the only president of operations who has led four different franchises to the World Series.
From his box, Dombrowski watched as the Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series. He also watched as the figure he signed to a 13-year, $330 million deal hit an unforgettable home run to cap another stunning comeback. At the same time, he watched as Rob Thomson, the interim manager he put in in June after Girardi’s firing, handled the bullpen flawlessly to seal the victory.
As defending champions manager Brian Snitker said, “The postseason is made for teams that get hot in it.” In a way, you’re right. The Phillies heated up to eliminate the Braves and now continued “On Fire” against a team that had just eliminated the Mets and the Dodgers….two teams with more than 100 wins in the regular season.
The key to success is based on its fearful offense, which has driven in the most runs in the postseason (57) and has left the highest slugging percentage (442). At the same time, they have the best timed hitting. Sure, it’s been led by one of the best hitters of our time, Bryce Harper.
Harper’s home run in the eighth inning will go down in baseball annals as one of the most impressive. In this case, unconsciously, Bob Melvin set the scene for it all to happen.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Padres took the lead (3-2) due to a double by Josh Bell and by Seranthony Domínguez, who threw three wild pitches under heavy rain. Quickly, the Phillies threatened, but Robert Suarez relieved Yu Darvish to score zero.
The eighth inning came and Melvin kept Suarez on the mound with ten pitches. JT Realmuto singled him and the stage was set for the Venezuelan to pitch to the best hitter in the series. As Suarez prepared to face Harper, Josh Hader, the best left-handed reliever in the business, threw to the bullpen catcher. The decision had been made.
“It’s a thought right now, but it wasn’t what we were thinking in the eighth inning,” the Padres manager said. “We were trying to get to the four-out position for Hader, and we had a lot of confidence in Suarez against Harper.”
Melvin bet on Suárez, who although he was one of his best relievers, throws fast pitches 65% of the time. Harper, prior to yesterday’s game, was hitting .522 against fast pitches this postseason, and three of his four home runs had come against fast pitches.
Additionally, Harper’s OPS against same-handed pitchers last season was .149 points lower than against right-handers (.925 to .776). Everything indicated that Hader had to go there to face him, however, it was not.
The seven-pitch at-bat showed Harper’s quality. All of them were located on the outside of the zone and the first five would be fastballs of 96 miles or more, against which the left-hander hit three fouls. The sixth was a changeup at 91 miles, but Harper picked it off perfectly to even the count (2-2). Bryce knew it, Suarez would go back to his quick send to try to dominate him and he did.
A 98.9-mile sinker loomed on the outside and Harper swung to unleash a 108.9-mile missile that landed in left field at 389 feet. Time literally stood still as fans at Citizen Bank Park set off the madness. The emotional blow was overwhelming, and it would be a matter of time before the Phillies broke a streak of 12 seasons without reaching the Fall Classic.
Thomson sent David Roberton to the mound to close out the game, but after he got one out, he gave up two consecutive walks. Ranger Suárez would come in to relieve him and with two pitches and an inexplicable bunt by Trent Grisham, Philadelphia would eliminate the Friars.
Minutes later, Harper was voted MVP of the Championship Series. The first pick in the 2010 draft had eight hits in 20 at-bats and drove in five runs, while hitting the wall twice. The player himself downplayed the award: “I really don’t care about this, but MLB forces me to do it. I only know that we have four games left and we have to continue to function as a great team.”
The risk was worth it. Dombrowski did not stop making risky decisions to meet the objective. The Phillies of 2022 are similar to the Tigers of 2012, but this time, they will try to achieve what Detroit could not: the pinnacle of baseball.
