Good morning to everyone but especially to...
Getty ImagesYORDAN ALVAREZ AND THE HOUSTON ASTROS
There are moments every postseason that are remembered for a very, very long time. If the Houston Astros end up winning the World Series, they'll look back at the very first game of their postseason run fondly.
Yordan Alvarez launched a walk-off, three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a stirring 8-7 comeback win over the Mariners in Game 1. The home run had plenty of historic significance:
First ever postseason walk-off home run when trailing by multiple runsSecond ever postseason walk-off home run by a team down to its final out, joining Kirk Gibson's iconic 1988 World Series blastFourth ever postseason walk-off home run when trailing and first since Joe Carter's 1993 World Series winnerFirst time in Astros postseason history they've won after trailing by multiple runs through eight innings (had been 0-48)The fact that Alvarez even had a chance to walk it off speaks volumes to the Astros' depth.
AL Cy Young lock Justin Verlander gave up six runs in just four innings, but four relievers combined to allow just one run over five innings. Jose Altuve went 0 for 4 in the leadoff spot, but Yuli Gurriel had three hits, including a home run, and Alex Bregman's eighth-inning homer halved the deficit from 7-3 to 7-5. Jeremy Pena's clutch ninth-inning single kept the rally alive and, crucially, chased closer Paul Sewald from the game (more on that in a bit).
This was a massive win for the Astros. Instead of needing to beat Luis Castillo tomorrow to avoid an 0-2 deficit, they're in the driver's seat thanks to a comeback for the ages.
Honorable mentions
And not such a good morning for...
SCOTT SERVAIS, ROBBIE RAY AND THE SEATTLE MARINERS
The Mariners truly could not have asked for much more: an early lead, a hot top of the lineup, the opposing starter -- the likely Cy Young winner, no less -- chased early and your own starter pitching well against a loaded lineup. They still lost, and there are two major questions to answer. How and why?
How could Andrés Muñoz -- who hadn't given up a home run since June 10 -- give one up in a key juncture in the eighth inning?How could Paul Sewald hit rarely used rookie pinch-hitter David Hensley with a pitch in a two-strike count?Why did Scott Servais pull Sewald in favor of Robbie Ray, who gave up the walk-off to Alvarez on just his second pitch?On that final bullet point, Servais said pitching Ray (normally a starter) in that situation was "the plan." But as our MLB expert Matt Snyder writes, there were far more reasons against using Ray than for using him, including...
Snyder: "He gives up lots of home runs. Ray finished second in the AL in home runs allowed this season with 32. Even last year, when he won the Cy Young, he was fourth with 33 allowed. Alvarez is one of the best power hitters in baseball and exactly one play beats you: A home run."Seattle was meant to win this game, until it wasn't. Even for a bunch as resilient as these Mariners, the "how" and "why" will gnaw at them on their off day today.
