Written by Adam Wells at Bleacher Report.com
The Houston Astros held serve at home in the American League Championship Series, defeating the New York Yankees 4-0 in Game 7 on Saturday to clinch the franchise’s second-ever trip to the World Series.
After losing three straight games at Yankee Stadium and facing elimination coming back to Minute Maid Park, the Astros returned home to defeat the Yankees in the last two games to win the AL pennant for the first time.
Jose Altuve and Evan Gattis both hit solo home runs. Brian McCann chipped in with a two-run double in the fifth inning to cap off Houston’s offensive output.
After winning 101 games during the regular season, the Astros will be in search of their first victory in a World Series game when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
Houston’s only previous trip to the Fall Classic came in 2005, when it was swept by the Chicago White Sox in four games.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, based on the records of Houston and Los Angeles, this kind of championship matchup hasn’t happened in 47 years:
This is the first matchup of 100-win teams in the World Series since 1970, when the 108-win Orioles beat the 102-win Reds.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 22, 2017
The game began as a pitching duel between CC Sabathia and Charlie Morton. Both starters held the opposition scoreless through the first three innings.
The Astros were making Sabathia work hard, especially after the former AL Cy Young winner needed just seven pitches in the first inning. He gave up at least one hit and one walk in the next three innings.
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