ALCS Game 2 updates: Bregman’s homer has Astros up 3-2 over Yankees | Updates & highlights

Framber Valdez started for Houston while Luis Severino took the mound for New York.

HOUSTON — Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros got the jump on the New York Yankees again.

Now they’re trying to take a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series with All-Star lefty Framber Valdez pitching against Yankees right-hander Luis Severino on Thursday night in Houston. The roof at Minute Maid Park is open.

RELATED: ALCS Game 1: Verlander Ks 11 to lead Astros over Yankees 4-2 in ALCS

8th inning

Houston 3, New York 2

Bryan Abreu relieved Valdez to start the eighth inning. He got Oswaldo Cabrera to fly out to center for the first out. Harrison Bader struck out swinging for the second out. Kyle Tucker caught an Aaron Judge flyout to the wall in right, but Bader was able to tag up to second. Giancarlo Stanton struck out looking to end the top half of the inning.

Wandy Peralta relieved Jonathan Loáisiga in the bottom of the eighth after Loáisiga got Jeremy Peña to ground out. Yordan Alvarez greeted Peralta with a single to center, snapping an 0-for-12 stretch. Alvarez was picked off first base for the second out and then Alex Bregman singled to left-center to keep the inning alive for the Astros. Kyle Tucker fouled out to end the inning.

7th inning

Houston 3, New York 2

Framber Valdez got Josh Donaldson, Kyle Higashioka and Oswald Peraza on swinging strikeouts in the seventh. All three strikeouts were on Valdez’s curveball.

Chas McCormick grounded out to start the bottom of the inning.  Martín Maldonado followed with a walk, bringing up Jose Altuve, who hit a 106-mph grounder that turned into a double play to end the inning.

6th inning

Houston 3, New York 2

Giancarlo Stanton grounded out, Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging and Gleyber Torres grounded out, albeit unconventionally, to end the inning.

Alex Bregman led off the home half with a pop-out to shallow left field. After Kyle Tucker singled to right, the Yankees pulled Severino in favor of Jonathan Loáisiga to face Yuli Gurriel. Gurriel greeted the reliever with a single through the left side of the infield. Aledmys Díaz grounded into a double play to end the inning.

5th inning

Houston 3, New York 2

Oswald Peraza struck out swinging, Oswaldo Cabrera grounded out and Harrison Bader singled to right, bringing up Aaron Judge, who popped out to left to end the inning.

Martín Maldonado led off the home half with a bloop single to left, bringing Jose Altuve to the plate with a chance to break out of a prolonged 0-for-21 postseason slump. Altuve’s struggles continued, though, and he popped out for the first out of the frame. Jeremy Peña flew out to center and Yordan Alvarez struck out to end the frame.

4th inning

Houston 3, New York 2

Aaron Judge led off the frame with a single through the left side. The next batter, Framber Valdez fielded a dribbler hit by Giancarlo Stanton and then threw it away trying to get him out at first. Judge moved up to third and Stanton advanced to second. Valdez was charged with two errors on the play. An Anthony Rizzo groundout scored Judge and moved Stanton to third. Gleyber Torres then reached on an infield single, scoring Stanton. Josh Donaldson and Kyle Higashioka struck out swinging to end the frame.

The Astros went down in order in the home half of the frame.

3rd inning

Houston 3, New York 0

Oswald Peraza flew out to center, Oswaldo Cabrera grounded out and Harrison Bader struck out swinging to end the inning.

Martín Maldonado got hit by a pitch on the arm, bringing Jose Altuve to the plate with no one out. Altuve struck out swinging, extending his postseason slump. Jeremy Peña delivered a one-out single and Yordan Alvarez grounded into a fielder’s choice, moving Maldonado to third. Peña was forced out at second base. Alex Bregman then delivered a three-run homer to the Crawford Boxes. Kyle Tucker popped out to end the inning.

2nd inning

Houston 0, New York 0

Anthony Rizzo grounded out, Gleyber Torres flew out to right-center field and then Josh Donaldson delivered a two-out, two-strike double to right field to keep the inning alive for the Yankees. Valdez got Kyle Higashioka swinging to end the frame.

Alex Bregman flew out to right for the first out of the home half. Kyle Tucker followed with a walk and Yuli Gurriel followed with a hard-hit single through the left side of the infield, moving Tucker to second. Aledmys Díaz struck out swinging and Chas McCormick popped up to end the inning.

1st inning

Houston 0. New York 0

Valdez worked a clean top of the first, sitting down Harrison Bader, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in order.

Jose Altuve grounded out and Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez struck out swinging to end the inning.

Game 1 recap

Verlander recovered from a rocky start and struck out 11 over six strong innings to lead the Astros past the Yankees 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Yuli Gurriel launched a tiebreaking homer in the sixth. Chas McCormick and rookie Jeremy Peña also went deep as the AL West champions improved to 4-0 in the playoffs after going 106-56 during the regular season.

RELATED: Here’s how the ‘Chas chomp’ started and what Chas McCormick thinks about it

It was a familiar result in the power struggle between the teams over the past few years.

Houston knocked New York out of the playoffs in 2015, 2017 and 2019 before going 5-2 against the Yankees during the 2022 regular season.

This is the sixth straight ALCS appearance for the Astros, their third meeting with the Yankees during that span.

Houston is trying to reach the World Series for the second consecutive season and fourth time in six years. New York hasn’t made it since beating the Phillies in 2009 for the most recent of its 27 championships.

Verlander set a major league record with his eighth double-digit strikeout game in the postseason. He passed Clayton Kershaw (213) to become the career leader in postseason strikeouts with 219.

RELATED: Astros ace Justin Verlander sets MLB record for most postseason strikeouts

New York whiffed 17 times in all to only two for the Astros — the largest difference ever in a postseason game.

“They’re obviously really dynamic,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Outstanding starting pitching, but can shorten the game with the best of ’em. So we’ve got to find a way to break through against them.”

Valdez went 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA during the regular season. He led the American League with 201 1/3 innings pitched and three complete games. In Game 2 of the Division Series against Seattle, he allowed four hits and two runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Severino was 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts this season. He yielded eight hits and three runs over 5 2/3 innings in Game 3 of the ALDS versus Cleveland.

Pettis rejoins team

After missing Game 1 due to an illness, Gary Pettis is back with the team for Game 2. He won’t be coaching third base, but he’ll be in the dugout.

Altuve stays in leadoff spot

The Astros released their lineup for Game 2

Roof open

For the first time this postseason, the roof at Minute Maid Park will be open.

Gold Glove finalists

Two Astros were named Rawlings Gold Glove finalists on Thursday: shortstop Peña and right fielder Kyle Tucker.

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