The Red Sox and Astros are each in the American League Championship after four major battles, just one step away from the World Series, who can break through the siege of these two teams? Today, led by jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, a duo of two, the Astros successfully reversed the game and opened the American League Championship Series. But this is just the beginning of the series, and then the director will discuss with you their prospects in this series.
The road to playoff advancement
After playing in the Wild Card Power Ker yankees into the American League division, the Red Sox ushered in the best wins in the American League this season. In the first game of the series, the Red Sox were beaten 5-0 by their opponents without temper.
Just when most fans thought the Rays would crush the Red Sox, the Red Sox attack line woke up in the second game. They trailed 2-5 in the first set, rumbled and scored a 14-6 rugby score to return to Fenway Park with a big win.
Back at home, the geographically advantageous Red Sox were even more hot, and in the third game, they escaped by relying on a field second base run that sparked discussion in the first half of the 13th inning of the extended game to avoid losing points, and finally won the Battle of King's Mountain by taking over Christian Vazquez's goodbye home run.
In the fourth game, despite the Rays' tenacious performance and equalizing at one point 5-0, the Red Sox, who played at home, laughed to the end, and in the bottom half of the ninth inning, with enrique Hernandez's goodbye sacrifice, the Yum Rays were under the horse, and after three years, they returned to the stage of the American League Championship.
In contrast, the Astros' American League divisional history is not shocking. The first two home games were both brought to the eighth inning with a five-point lead with powerful attacking firepower and ultimately won.
After losing the third game away, they went all out again in the fourth game, winning 10-1 and reaching the American League Championship game for five consecutive years.
Divisional Heroes
Enrique Hernandez
Both teams were in full swing in the divisional games, with the Astros scoring 31 points in four games and the Red Sox scoring 26 points in the last three games, and both offensive lines played extremely well. But even so, Hernandez's performance in the divisional competition was still outstanding.
The all-rounder, who won the World Series title with the Dodgers last year, hit nine hits in the last three games against the Rays, a goodbye sacrifice hit to help the team cross a formidable rival, and two more home runs in today's game. It seems that Hernandez's hot feel continues into the American League Championship, and there is no worse news for the Astros pitcher group.
Jose Altuve
In the divisional battle, the Astros' line guns rumbled, making it difficult for the white Sox pitchers with the second lowest ERA in the American League regular season, and all this was inseparable from Ottoway's wonderful performance.
In this series, he had a high base rate of .476, which gave his teammates behind him better chances to hit. Because of this, he also ran back to the ninth-most U.S. League-high score in the division, while second-placed Wander Franco and Kyle Tucker each scored just five points.
His base and scoring abilities will be the Astros' most reliant offensive weapon in the next American League Championship.
Coaches of both sides
Red Sox coach Alex Cora, who won the title with the Astros as a coach in 2017, knows the roots of this American League championship match.
After becoming the Red Sox manager, Cora has proven his ability to schedule under the high pressure of the playoffs. After leading the team to the American League Championship, his playoff record as a manager is an incredible 15 wins and 4 losses.
However, compared to Cora, who is about to turn 46 and has already worn the World Series championship ring, the Astros' 72-year-old coach Dusty Baker has not yet won the World Series as manager.
The coach, who has been coaching in major leagues for 24 seasons, has repeatedly become the backdrop for classic reversals in the playoffs, despite his high esteem.
With a five-run lead in seven innings of game six of the 2002 World Series, he led the Giants to a reversal by the Angels. In game six of the 2003 National League Championship, Baker's Cubs were turned over by the Marlins with a three-point lead and only five exits to advance to the World Series.
In 2012, his red man was reversed by the Giants in Cincinnati after winning three consecutive games in Cincinnati under the excellent situation of the League of Nations divisional first two cities.
As a coach with a track record of a prominent player, Baker is always confident in his pitchers, which has led to him often missing the best time to change pitchers in the rapidly changing playoffs, thus becoming a backdrop for epic reversals.
For the rare baker, there are not many chances for him to win the championship. It remains to be seen whether Baker will teach his juniors a lesson in the American League Championships, or Whether Cora proves to his seniors that it is now his time.
The team is worried
The biggest hidden danger for the Astros is their starting group, veteran Zack Greinke returned from injury, only as a rescue pitcher in the divisional rounds to shoot 1 innings, whether they can hold up the starting role in the American League Championship, I am afraid that no one dares to make a guarantee.
The Astros, who played well in game 1 of the divisional battle, played well as starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (Jr.) and left the game due to injury after giving up 1 point in the fourth game of the first game and failed to enter the American League Championship roster. Faced with the wolf-like Red Sox attack line, the Astros' first-mover group will be their biggest concern.
The Red Sox starters were no better off than the Astros, and Chris Sale, who was supposed to take on the trump card responsibility, was hit by a 5-pointer in just one inning in the match against the Rays.
Against the Astros, who have several top right-handed batters, Whether Searle can regain the bravery he was in before the serious injury will be decisive for the Red Sox.
Considering the situation of the pitcher groups of the two teams, for fans who like offensive battles, this year's American League Championship game must not be missed!
In a showdown between two teams with strong and weak defenders, who will advance to the World Series with their heads held high? Hurry up and discuss it with us in the comments section!
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