HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros are going to the World Series for the first since their only other appearance in 2005.
Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers combined on a three-hitter and the Astros homered twice to take Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, 4-0. The outcome sets up a Dodgers-Astros Fall Classic that will begin Tuesday in Los Angeles.
The tandem of Morton and McCullers struck out 11 and held the Yankees to two singles and a double. The Yankees’ only true scoring threat came in the fifth, when Greg Bird led off with a double off Morton and moved to third on a wild pitch. Morton got out of the jam after Bird was thrown out at the plate by third baseman Alex Bregman on a hot grounder by Todd Frazier.
Evan Gattis (GAT’-ihs) opened the scoring with a solo homer in the fourth off losing pitcher CC Sabathia (sah-BATH’-ee-uh), who was lifted later in the inning.
Houston tacked on three runs in the fifth as Jose Altuve’s (al-TOO’-vayz) solo blast was followed by Brian McCann’s two-run double.
McCullers entered in the sixth with a four-run lead and limited the Yankees to one hit while striking out six over four innings of relief.
The combined three-hitter came on the heels of Justin Verlander’s seven shutout innings in Game 6. Verlander was named the series MVP after going 2-0 with just one run allowed in 16 innings.
The Yankees managed just 10 hits over the final two games after outscoring the Astros 19-5 in sweeping the three games in New York.
The work by Morton and McCullers would allow manager AJ Hinch to start Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) in Game 1 at Los Angeles, followed by Verlander.