The Houston Astros are heading to the American League Championship Series. The Astros eliminated the Red Sox on Monday afternoon in Game 4 of the American League divisional series by the final score of 5-4. Now the best hitting team in all of baseball, we'll have to wait and see who their next opponent is as they wait for the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians to finish their best-of-five series.

Verlander, Sale major players in Game 4

The Houston Astros welcomed Justin Verlander with open arms following the trade between the Tigers and Astros back on August 31st.

While they knew Verlander would be a great acquisition, they probably wouldn't have guessed that he would collect two of the three wins in the ALDS. The polar opposite can be said of Chris Sale for the Boston Red Sox.

In an odd twist of fate, Justin Verlander outpitched Chris Sale once again this afternoon in Boston, but this time it was in a relief effort -- something you don't see from these two aces. JV pitched 2-2/3 innings, giving up one run on one hit and earning the victory. Sale, on the other hand, pitched 4.2 innings and wasn't that bad. He struck out six, but the two runs he gave up were the difference makers in the game.

Alex Bregman homered off Sale to tie the game in the eighth and Josh Reddick smashed an RBI single off closer Craig Kimbrel later in the inning.

Houston's George Springer and Yuli Gurriel set the pace for the Astros in Game 4. Each of them collected three hits for the slugging AL West champions, who suddenly have the look of a World Series favorite.

What's coming up next?

While the Astros will definitely be celebrating this win, they know that they have a lot of unfinished business left ahead of them.

Houston will open the American League Championship Series on Friday, they just don't know where. If the Cleveland Indians advance to the ALCS Game 1 will be in Cleveland. If the New York Yankees can complete their comeback from a 0-2 hole and pull off the series win, then Game 1 between the Bronx Bombers and Houston Astros will take place at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The Houston Astros have never reached the championship series as an American League team. The last time they made it this far was back in 2005 when they were still in the National League. The Astros have never won a World Series title. Back in 2005, they made it to the fall classic, but were swept by the Chicago White Sox in four straight games.
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