Yankees at Astros
The Houston Astros won a pitchers' duel to open the American League Championship Series and will turn to their hottest arm in Game 2 of the best-of-seven set against the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday. Dallas Keuchel continued his career-long dominance of the Yankees with 10 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in Friday's 2-1 victory in Game 1.
Jose Altuve recorded three hits, stole a base and scored a run as he improved to 11-for-19 with four walks this postseason. Including the playoffs, Justin Verlander is 7-0 with a 1.48 ERA in seven games (six starts) since being acquired from Detroit and is 4-0 with a 2.82 mark in his career at Minute Maid Park as he enters his Game 2 start. Verlander never has faced young sluggers Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird, whose solo blast with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning accounted for all of New York's offense on Friday. The Yankees will turn to ace Luis Severino, who bounced back from a brutal start in the wild-card game to stymie Cleveland over seven frames on Monday in the AL Division Series.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (1-0, 7.36 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (2-0, 3.12)
Severino allowed three runs and four hits - two homers - while striking out nine Indians in his Game 3 victory, which helped turn the tide in that series. He was hit hard in two regular-season meetings with the Astros, allowing nine runs and 15 hits in 11 2/3 frames, and has had his issues with Carlos Correa (3-for-4, two doubles and two walks), Yuli Gurriel (4-for-5, one double) and Marwin Gonzalez (2-for-5, one home run). The 23-year-old posted a 0.89 ERA over his last six road starts during the regular season and finished 6-1 with a 2.24 ERA away from home.
Verlander has won each of his two outings this postseason, including 2 2/3-inning relief appearance in the decisive Game 4 win over Boston in the ALDS. The 34-year-old has posted a 3.55 ERA in five career starts in the ALCS, including an eight-inning outing in which he allowed one run and struck out 10 in his last such outing against the Red Sox in 2013. Verlander will be wary of Todd Frazier (5-for-17, two homers) and Didi Gregorius (2-for-6, one homer, one double), but he should go right after Aaron Hicks (0-for-9, four strikeouts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Bird has belted three home runs in a five-game stretch.
2. Correa has hit safely in his last four contests while producing seven RBIs and scoring three runs.
3. The Yankees have struck out 79 times in their last six games.