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Correa’s walk-off homer wins ALCS Game 2 for Astros over Yankees – Metro US

Correa’s walk-off homer wins ALCS Game 2 for Astros over Yankees

Carlos Correa. (Photo: Getty Images)
The ALCS is heading back to Yankee Stadium all knotted up. 
 
Carlos Correa hit a walk-off solo home run on the first pitch of the 11th inning off JA Happ, lifting the Houston Astros to a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees in the wee hours of Monday morning. 
 
It was the second time in three years that Correa delivered a walk-off hit for the Astros over the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALCS — in 2017, he drove in Jose Altuve on a game-winning double. 
 
Correa was responsible for two of Houston’s three runs on the night in the first extra-inning ALCS game since 2014, which lasted 4:49.
 
The Yankees, who stole Game 1 with a resounding 7-0 lead, used nine pitchers in the game in a bullpen-heavy affair that stymied the Astros after starter James Paxton experienced initial trouble. 
 
It was the Astros who struck first in Game 2, plating their first run of the ALCS in the second inning when Correa — who was batting .138 in the postseason — doubled down the left-field line to score Alex Bregman. 
 
That would be Paxton’s lone blemish of the night simply because of the very short leash applied by manager Aaron Boone.
 
The Yankees skipper made it known before the ALCS that he wasn’t going to let his starters get into trouble given his wealth of bullpen arms and stuck to it with the decision 
 
After getting into a third-inning jam with runners on first and second with one out, Paxton was lifted by Boone for reliever Chad Green, who proceeded to get AL MVP contender Alex Bregman to line out before Yordan Alvarez popped up. 
 
Aaron Judge rewarded Boone for his decision-making in the following half-inning as he put the only dent in Justin Verlander’s armor on Sunday night. Following a walk to DJ LeMahieu, Judge popped a 423-foot, two-run home run over the right-center field wall to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. 
 
Green continued to be untouchable on the hill as he went two perfect innings, striking out two while 21 of his 26 pitches were strikes. 
 
But for as good as Boone’s decision was to bring in Green, it was just as bad a one to lift the righty. 
 
After striking out Kyle Tucker for the first out in the fifth, Green was taken out for Adam Ottavino to face Astros slugger George Springer, who was 0-for-4 with three K’s in his career against Boone’s new choice. 
 
The numbers game came back to bite him.
 
On Ottavino’s very first pitch, Springer launched a solo shot near the train tracks high above the field in left-center to tie things up. 
 
The regularly-programmed pitcher’s duel ensued as Verlander lasted 6.2 innings while throwing 109 pitches, which included Correa throwing LeMahieu out at home with two outs in the sixth on a botched grounder off Altuve’s glove. He made way for Will Harris, who inherited a runner on first with two outs. 
 
It was no trouble as he got Didi Gregorius swinging on strikes. 
 
Meanwhile, Tommy Kahnle came on for the Yankees and put together one of his gutsiest performances of the season. 
 
After going no longer than 1.2 innings during a single appearance during the regular season, Kahnle put up  2.1 innings of perfect pitching, striking out two in the process.
 
Zack Britton, working for a second-straight night, was able to get through the heart of the Astros lineup and around a walk to Bregman in the eighth. 
 
Houston’s bullpen was just as resolute as Astros closer Roberto Osuna took the torch from Harris and set down five Yankees in succession to give the home side a chance to win it in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth. But Aroldis Chapman — who had thrown just seven innings since Sept. 1 — extended the stalemate to extra innings. 
 
With Boone continuing to empty his bullpen, Jonathan Loaisiga provided some nervy moments for the Yankees in the bottom half of the 10th. 
 
After CC Sabathia got Michael Brantley to ground out, Loaisiga walked Altuve and Bregman. It created quite a jam for JA Happ to get out of — which he did by getting Alvarez to strike out and Yuli Gurriel to fly out. 
 
The Yankees followed up with runners on first and second in the 11th, but Gary Sanchez struck out to end the inning and the threat.