George Springer sensed the big moment on Friday night. His Houston Astros were up in the game, but down in the series. Any mistake or failure to make a pivotal play could mean the end of the team's season. The inverse meant glory in a city clinging to their baseball team. That's what happened in the seventh inning of Game 6 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees. The outfielder made one of the best catches of the postseason, one that potentially saved his team from a doomed fate, preserving his team's season for one more day.

Springer makes the grab

Justin Verlander did an excellent job shutting down the Yankees throughout the evening. But in the seventh inning, he began running into some trouble. Two runners reached base, bringing Todd Frazier to the plate with one out and his team trailing 3-0.

It had been a frustrating night for Frazier to that point, with a fielding gaffe and an embarrassing strikeout aiding the Astros. He was looking for revenge and nearly got it, lifting a pitch deep to center field. Springer was having none of it.

That ball wasn't going to go over the fence, but it was still going to do some massive damage.

At least one run would've scored if Springer didn't make the grab, maybe two. It certainly had the chance to be a demoralizing blow to Verlander and the Astros. Instead, Houston survived the inning with their shutout intact. Verlander was so grateful that he congratulated his center fielder at the end of the frame.

Astros survive

Verlander came out after seven shutout innings and Brad Peacock immediately surrendered a towering home run to Aaron Judge in the eighth inning. But that was all the Yankees were able to scratch across. Jose Altuve led a seven-run attack for Houston, who pulled out a 7-1 victory at home. The victory sets up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Houston on Saturday night for the right to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

The Yankees will throw out C.C. Sabathia on Saturday; he shut out the Astros earlier in the series. Houston will pitch Charlie Morton, who has struggled immensely in this postseason. But they'll have many reinforcements, including Dallas Keuchel and maybe even Verlander.

Worst comes to worst, they'll have George Springer patrolling the outfield, making sure that any balls lifted to the outfield are snagged before they can become problematic in the cavernous Minute Maid Park - that will have to do for Houston.
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