Verlander Dominant, Astros Walk-Off for 2-0 Lead
The Houston Astros sent another ace to the hill in Game 2 on Saturday, and once again they got a stellar effort from their starter. Justin Verlander went all nine innings and struck out a postseason career-high 13, as his team walked off for a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees and a 2-0 ALCS lead. Carlos Correa hit the walk-off RBI double, as Jose Altuve scored from first base, just barely beating the throw at home plate to begin the celebration. Yankees starter Luis Severino was surprisingly pulled after just four innings, as he gave up a run on two hits. The walk-off gave Verlander his third win of the postseason, as Aroldis Chapman only got one out in relief before giving up the winning run for New York. Correa also added a solo home run in the fourth inning, while Altuve had two more hits, giving him 13 this postseason, just two years after going 4-for-26 in the 2015 postseason. Verlander improved to 8-0 in eight appearances since joining Houston, and has a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings this postseason. The Astros will now send Charlie Morton on the road Monday night in Game 3 of the series.
Kershaw, Bullpen Help Dodgers Shut Down Cubs
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have enough to overcome an NLCS loss to the Chicago Cubs last season, and they got off to a good start with that on Saturday night. The Dodgers' bullpen shut out the Cubs over four innings, as they took Game 1 of the series at Dodger Stadium, 5-2. Chris Taylor broke a tie with a solo shot in the sixth, while Yasiel Puig added insurance with a long ball and an RBI double on the night. Despite what the outfielder said in his postgame interview, it was his first career postseason home run. Puig is now 7-for-15 with six RBIs in the first four postseason games. Clayton Kershaw gave up both of the Cubs' runs on four hits in five innings of work. Albert Almora Jr.'s two-run home run in the fourth came off the Dodgers' ace, but the final 18 Chicago batters failed to reach base on the night. The 104-win Dodger team improved to 4-0 this postseason, including an NLDS sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they won Game 1 of the NLCS for the first time since 1985. They will send Rich Hill out for Game 2 of the series on Sunday night, as he will be opposed by Jon Lester.
Washington, Auburn Fall in Upset Losses
The trend of the seventh week of the college football season was top-10 upsets around the country. Two more top-10 teams fell on Saturday, First, the fifth-ranked Washington Huskies struggled to put points on the board, falling to Arizona State on the road, 13-7. The Sun Devils' defense held the Huskies to just 230 total yards, as both teams struggled to move the ball, despite not turning it over. Manny Wilkins threw for 245 yards, while Kalen Ballage ran in the only touchdown of the game for ASU in the first. Jake Browning had just 139 yards through the air, and ran in for the only score of the game for Washington in the fourth. The loss for the Huskies was their seventh straight at Arizona State, as they last won there in 2001. Elsewhere, the LSU Tigers look to have fought their way back in to the college football top 25, as Connor Culp kicked field goals of 42 and 35 yards in the fourth, leading to a 27-23 upset of No. 10 Auburn. Those field goals were a part of 13 unanswered points for LSU, which included a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by D.J. Chark to begin the final quarter. The Tigers' defense allowed just 64 yards and no points in the second half, this after Auburn put up 17 points in the first quarter alone. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Auburn, who got 156 yards and a score on the ground from Kerryon Johnson. The two upsets make it four of the top-10 variety this week, which guarantees a shakeup in next week's AP Polls.
The Houston Astros sent another ace to the hill in Game 2 on Saturday, and once again they got a stellar effort from their starter. Justin Verlander went all nine innings and struck out a postseason career-high 13, as his team walked off for a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees and a 2-0 ALCS lead. Carlos Correa hit the walk-off RBI double, as Jose Altuve scored from first base, just barely beating the throw at home plate to begin the celebration. Yankees starter Luis Severino was surprisingly pulled after just four innings, as he gave up a run on two hits. The walk-off gave Verlander his third win of the postseason, as Aroldis Chapman only got one out in relief before giving up the winning run for New York. Correa also added a solo home run in the fourth inning, while Altuve had two more hits, giving him 13 this postseason, just two years after going 4-for-26 in the 2015 postseason. Verlander improved to 8-0 in eight appearances since joining Houston, and has a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings this postseason. The Astros will now send Charlie Morton on the road Monday night in Game 3 of the series.
Kershaw, Bullpen Help Dodgers Shut Down Cubs
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have enough to overcome an NLCS loss to the Chicago Cubs last season, and they got off to a good start with that on Saturday night. The Dodgers' bullpen shut out the Cubs over four innings, as they took Game 1 of the series at Dodger Stadium, 5-2. Chris Taylor broke a tie with a solo shot in the sixth, while Yasiel Puig added insurance with a long ball and an RBI double on the night. Despite what the outfielder said in his postgame interview, it was his first career postseason home run. Puig is now 7-for-15 with six RBIs in the first four postseason games. Clayton Kershaw gave up both of the Cubs' runs on four hits in five innings of work. Albert Almora Jr.'s two-run home run in the fourth came off the Dodgers' ace, but the final 18 Chicago batters failed to reach base on the night. The 104-win Dodger team improved to 4-0 this postseason, including an NLDS sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks, as they won Game 1 of the NLCS for the first time since 1985. They will send Rich Hill out for Game 2 of the series on Sunday night, as he will be opposed by Jon Lester.
Washington, Auburn Fall in Upset Losses
The trend of the seventh week of the college football season was top-10 upsets around the country. Two more top-10 teams fell on Saturday, First, the fifth-ranked Washington Huskies struggled to put points on the board, falling to Arizona State on the road, 13-7. The Sun Devils' defense held the Huskies to just 230 total yards, as both teams struggled to move the ball, despite not turning it over. Manny Wilkins threw for 245 yards, while Kalen Ballage ran in the only touchdown of the game for ASU in the first. Jake Browning had just 139 yards through the air, and ran in for the only score of the game for Washington in the fourth. The loss for the Huskies was their seventh straight at Arizona State, as they last won there in 2001. Elsewhere, the LSU Tigers look to have fought their way back in to the college football top 25, as Connor Culp kicked field goals of 42 and 35 yards in the fourth, leading to a 27-23 upset of No. 10 Auburn. Those field goals were a part of 13 unanswered points for LSU, which included a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by D.J. Chark to begin the final quarter. The Tigers' defense allowed just 64 yards and no points in the second half, this after Auburn put up 17 points in the first quarter alone. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Auburn, who got 156 yards and a score on the ground from Kerryon Johnson. The two upsets make it four of the top-10 variety this week, which guarantees a shakeup in next week's AP Polls.
