The Houston Astros and New York Yankees squared off in The Bronx on Thursday for the first game of a four-game series between two of baseball’s best teams. The game did not disappoint.
Houston took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. But Ryan Pressly walked Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres to start the inning, setting the stage for Aaron Hicks. Pressly worked a 1-2 count on Hicks but made one mistake and paid dearly for it.
Into the Hicks of it. pic.twitter.com/9XXn8uVHhx
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 24, 2022
New York was not done, though. With two outs and two on, Aaron Judge came up to the plate. Judge worked the count to 3-0 and while walking a runner to third base isn’t a classic strategy, with two outs, it was a viable option for Houston, pitcher Ryne Stanek.
But Stanek’s 3-0 pitch was over the plate. Judge didn’t hit a home run, but he did show why he’s the leading candidate for the American League MVP Award and lined a game-winning base hit.
Walk it off, BAJ
pic.twitter.com/GY9BOMA9hi — New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 24, 2022
Many in the baseball world loved what they saw on Thursday night and look forward to seeing a lot more of it in the regular season — and after.
Sign me up for seven games of tis in October.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 24, 2022
RT if you’d be down for an Astros/Yankees ALCS??
This. Is. Wild.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) June 24, 2022
Alllllllllll Riseeeee! This team! What a win! #Yankees Bag it, Astros !
— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) June 24, 2022
It’s gonna be spectacular when the Astros beat the Yankees in October.
— Josh Innes (@JoshInnesShow) June 24, 2022
Yankees blow apart the Astros bullpen. An instant classic if there ever was one.
— Jed Weisberger (@Zalman888) June 24, 2022
Three games remain in this series. The Yankees will be in Houston for one game on June 30 and will open the second half of the season with a double-header in Texas on July 21.
So, a lot of excitement lingers. And if Thursday’s game really is a preview of things to come, another October matchup wouldn’t be heartbreaking, either.