Jose Altuve just had the game of his life for the Houston Astros. Playing against the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the 2017 American League Divisional Series, Altuve hit three home runs for the Astros. The three solo shots showed why he could become the AL MVP for the 2017 regular season and possibly why this Astros team has a good shot to make it all the way to the World Series.
The Astros beat the Red Sox 8-2 to win Game 1 of the series, hitting three home runs off starting pitcher Chris Sale. Alex Bregman, Evan Gattis, and Josh Reddick each added two hits apiece and the Astros ran away with the opening game.
It was exactly what fans of the team have been waiting all season to see and the Astros did not disappoint on Thursday night (Oct. 5).
Justin Verlander was worth the price
When the Houston Astros traded for Justin Verlander this season, there were questions about his age, his salary, and whether his arm had enough let in it. He proved to be worth every penny in Game 1, allowing just two runs and six hits over six innings of work. Verlander got the team deep into the game and got off the mound after only 99 pitches. He should be well-rested if the team has to call on him again this series.
Verlander pitched for the Detroit Tigers in the World Series but came up short in his only season to make it that far.
He would end up spending parts of 13 seasons with the Tigers before getting dealt to the Astros around the MLB trade deadline. In five starts with the Astros, Verlander went 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and 43 total strikeouts. He has been worth every penny.
Astros vs. Red Sox Game 2
Game 2 of the Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox ALDS takes place on Friday (Oct.
6). It’s an earlier start time, with first pitch scheduled at 2:05 PM ET. FS1 is providing the television coverage from Minute Maid Park. On the mound for the Astros is Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90 ERA) and he is up against Drew Pomeranz (17-6, 3.32 ERA) of the Red Sox. Keuchel has a career 2.57 ERA in the postseason, while Pomeranz has not pitched there yet.
The 2017 ALDS is going exactly like Houston Astros fans wanted it to, with a lot of offense getting anchored by good pitching performances. Having Dallas Keuchel on the mound for Game 2 is a huge advantage for the Astros, almost putting the Boston Red Sox in a must-win situation. Jose Altuve will be back at second base and be hitting third in the order as he looks to add to his already impressive postseason stats.
