JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander outpitched Chris Sale in a relief role reversal of aces, and the Houston Astros advanced to their first AL Championship Series, rallying past the Boston Red Sox 5-4 Monday in Game 4 of their playoff matchup.
Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected from Game 4 for arguing balls and strikes. Farrell was tossed out by home plate umpire Mark Wegner in the bottom of the second inning.
Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell, left, argues his point to crew
chief umpire Ted Barrett after he was ejected during the second inning
in Game 4 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the
Houston Astros, Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The manager ran out to come to the defense of Dustin Pedroia, who was arguing with Wegner. Pedroia had just been called out on strikes on a curveball by Charlie Morton with the bases loaded.
Houston will open the ALCS on Friday, either at Cleveland or at home against the New York Yankees. The Indians held a 2-1 edge over the Yankees going into Game 4 of the AL Division Series on Monday night.
With Verlander and Sale — the Game 1 starters — both pressed into relief, the Astros prevailed to win the ALDS 3-1.
Alex Bregman homered off Sale to tie it in the eighth and Josh Reddick hit an RBI single off closer Craig Kimbrel later in the inning.
The Astros last reached the league championship series in 2005 as a National League, and were swept in the World Series by the White Sox.
Severino, Judge help Yanks top Indians 7-3 to force Game 5
MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Severino bounced back from his playoff debacle, slumping Aaron Judge delivered a big hit and the New York Yankees took advantage of shoddy defense by Cleveland to beat the Indians 7-3 Monday night and push their AL Division Series to a decisive Game 5.
Gary Sanchez homered and Judge laced an early two-run double for his only hit of the series to go with 12 strikeouts in 15 at-bats.
Game 5 vibes. #ALDS pic.twitter.com/dkSRgNVIKz
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2017
Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer struggled on three days’ rest and was chased in the second inning. But it was on the wet Yankee Stadium field where the Indians really flopped, committing a season-high four errors that marked a franchise record for a postseason game and led to six unearned runs. The defending AL champions made only 76 errors all season, the lowest total in the league.
After preventing a three-game sweep with a 1-0 win Sunday night, the wild-card Yankees will start CC Sabathia in Game 5 at Cleveland on Wednesday. Indians ace Corey Kluber gets the ball in a rematch from Game 2, when he was hit hard by New York.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
