HOUSTON — The Marinerspitched to Yordan Alvarez. After he hit his second go-ahead home run of the series — what eventually proved to be a game-winner — there was no way to justify him seeing another pitch.
This was Barry Bonds-ification, a star slugger taking place right in front of a national audience. Alvarez’s two-run opposite-field homer in the sixth inning flipped a one-run deficit into a lead before Houston’s eventual 4-2 win over Seattle.
In the eighth, he came up to bat in a similar scenario with a runner at base and two outs. Alvarez was again sent to first base, but he didn’t see a pitch. The chorus of boos erupted. Then came a first-pitch single. Alex BregmanTo double the lead
“You don’t go to the bathroom, you know? You wait. You hold it in until after he hits,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said of the attention his slugger’s at-bats command from the crowd. “… You don’t talk to anybody. You just pay attention.”
Alvarez’s walk-off homer in the ninth inning turned a deficit of two runs into an 8-7 victory. It had been less than 48 hours. Houston’s series with Seattle has been close. Alvarez, however, is what has the Astros on the verge of making it to the next level. They led the Mariners to a 2-0 win in the best-of-5 American League Division Series. Seattle will host its 21st playoff game on Saturday.
Alvarez’s seven RBIs and Alvarez are helping the Astros make it a one-and-done run.
