New York Yankees Recap: Astros shock the Yankees with walk-off win

After the New York Yankees shut out the hated Houston Astros in the first two games of the series, the Yankees looked for the sweep. Jameson Taillon coming off his best start of the season, was to face the Astros’ Framber Valdez. With Gerrit Cole’s complete-game shutout last night, the bullpen was completely rested.

DJ LeMahieu led off the game by walking against Valdez. LeMahieu, on a passed ball, tried to advance all the way to third but was called out. Aaron Judge also walked. Gary Sanchez flew out to left field. Giancarlo Stanton chopped over the first baseman for a single, with Judge moving to third. Luke Voit struck out swinging, stranded two. At the bottom, Jose Altuve flew out to Locastro in left. Michael Brantley singled in front of Gardner in center. Yordan Alverez popped out to Urshela. Yuli Gurriel lined out to short to end the inning scoreless.

The top of the second was led off by Gleyber Torres who flew out to right. Gio Urshela singled on a late throw by Altuve. Tim Locastro flew out to right. Brett Gardner got a two-out single to left with Gio holding at second. LeMahieu bounced out to short. At the bottom, Kyle Tucker led off by tapping into the shift. Chas McCormick got hit by a pitch for a free pass. Abe Toro popped out to first. Robel Garcia struck out swinging for another scoreless inning.

Aaron Judge led off the third, striking out. Sanchez walked. Stanton struck out, but Sanchez advanced on a passed ball. Voit walked. Torres lined to left, scoring Sanchez from second. Urshela, with two still on and two outs, struck out, but the Yankees took the lead in the game. Martin Maldonado led off the bottom by homering to right field. Altuve struck out. Brantley flew out to Locastro. Alverez ground out to DJ. Game tied at 1.

Locastro led off the fourth inning, and he provided the Yankees with their second home run. Gardner ground out to Altuve. LeMahieu walked. Judge ground out to short. Sanchez struck out, but the Yankees regained the lead. At the bottom, Gurriel ground out. Tucker walked.  McCormick struck out swinging. Tucker stole second. Toro walked. Tucker stole third.  Toro stole second. Garcia struck out, getting Taillon out of a jam. New York Yankees 2 Astros 1.

Giancarlo Stanton led off the fifth inning by singling to center. Voit walked again. With no outs and two on, Torres singled to left, scoring Stanton for the Yankees’ two-run lead, and that knocked Valdez out of the game. Urshela faced the new Astros pitcher Andre Scrubb and flew out to left, holding the runners. Locastro struck out for the second out. Gardner chased on for the final out of half and stranding two. At the bottom, Maldonado flew out to left. Altuve also flew out to left. Brantley popped out to center for a 1-2-3 inning for Taillon. New York Yankees 3 Astros 1.

LeMahieu led off the sixth against new pitcher Joe Smith and flew out to right. Judge smoked on but right to Altuve. Sanchez struck out swinging for a quick inning for Smith. At the bottom, with Taillon still on the mound, Alverez flew out Gardner in left-center. Gurriel flew out to Judge. Tucker deposited one deep into the right-field stands. Then, McCormick flew out to Judge at the wall.

The seventh inning was led off by Stanton, who faced the Astros’ fourth pitcher Brian Abreu drove on to the warning track in right for the first out. Voit struck out. Torres walked and stole second to get into scoring position. Urshela doubled to center, and Torres scored. Locastro ground out to second, but the Yankees picked up an insurance run. At the bottom, against Domingo, German Toro struck out. Garcia flew out to center. Maldonado struck out for a 1-2-3 inning for German out of the pen. Yankees 4 Astros 2.

Brett Gardner led off the eighth inning, and facing the fifth, Astros pitcher Blake Taylor tapped back to the mound for the first out. LeMahieu walked. DJ moved to second on a passed ball. Judge walked. Sanchez sent a three-run bomb into the upper seats in left. Stanton walked. Voit walked for the third walk of the inning, knocking out Taylor. Torres faced the sixth Astros pitcher Ralph Garza Jr. and struck out. Urshela got another walk. Locastro with the bases loaded and two outs struck out, leaving the bases loaded. At the bottom, with German on for a second inning, Altuve ground out. Brantley singled. Alverez hit into a double play. New York Yankees 7 Astros 2.

Brett Gardner led off the ninth by walking for the Yankees thirteens walk of the game. LeMahieu walked for the fourth time. Judge struck out. Sanchez ground into a double play to end the half. At the bottom, with last licks on the line for the Astros, Gurriel, with German in for the close, singled on a slow roller in the infield. Tucker doubled with Locastro slamming into the left-field wall. McCormick faced reliever Chad Green and got a two-run double off of Green. Toro doubled to Judge, and another run scored. Still, with no outs, Garcia singled to center. Maldonado ground out to short. Altuve hit a home run, driving in three runs, and the Yankees lost the game.

The final score was the Houston Astros 8 New York Yankees 7. The winning pitcher was Ralph Garza Jr., and the loser was Chad Green.