Game 4 between the Astros and Yankees in the Bronx will not start on time due to weather in the area. The expected start time is 8:30 p.m. ET. Check back here for updates.
That is the setup for Sunday’s Game 4 of the AL Championship Series at Yankee Stadium, where Houston has a chance to hand the Yankees their fourth sweep in a best-of-seven series — a feat seen previously in the 1963 World Series (Dodgers), ‘76 World Series (Reds) and 2012 ALCS (Tigers).
“I just think about scoring one more run than they score and winning the ballgame,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “The Yankees are always dangerous, especially here in New York. We’ve got an opportunity to close it out and win tomorrow, so we’re going to try to take every opportunity to try to do that.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
The ALCS will be carried on TBS.
All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. For full details click here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Astros: Lance McCullers Jr. (0-0, 0.00 ERA in the postseason), who closed out the Astros’ pennant-winning game in 2017, will take the hill in what could be another clinching situation. The righty was pushed back a day after he was hit on the elbow during the Astros’ celebration after winning the Division Series but was cleared to start Game 4 after throwing a bullpen Friday. McCullers’ start Sunday will be his 11th in the postseason and his second this season. He threw six scoreless innings against the Mariners in the Astros’ 18-inning, 1-0 win in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. McCullers’ only other postseason start against the Yankees came in Game 4 of the 2017 ALCS at Yankee Stadium, where he held them to one run on two hits in six innings.
Yankees: Nestor Cortes (1-0, 2.70 ERA in the postseason), the Yankees’ most reliable starter throughout the regular season, will start Sunday’s game tasked with ensuring his team plays again on Monday. Cortes has been terrific this postseason, allowing three runs over two AL Division Series starts (spanning 10 innings) vs. Cleveland. It was a continuation of how he ended the regular season; over his final five outings, Cortes posted a 1.32 ERA, allowing four runs over 27 1/3 innings. Cortes made one regular season start vs. Houston. In a home outing on June 26, he allowed three earned runs over five innings with two walks and seven strikeouts in the Yankees’ 6-3 win.
What are the starting lineups?
Astros: The first seven batters are unchanged from Game 3, with Trey Mancini getting a second consecutive start at designated hitter. One of his two career hits off Cortes is a homer. Martín Maldonado is behind the plate to catch McCullers.
Yankees: Aaron Boone has shuffled the lineup in each of the first three games of this ALCS, and he also tried mixing and matching a fair amount in the ALDS against the Guardians, trying to find a combination that can reliably produce some runs. So far, he’s still looking. As a team, the Yanks have hit .161 (40-for-248) in the postseason. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (4-for-15 this postseason) gets his second start of the series and Harrison Bader returns to the leadoff spot.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Astros: The Astros’ bullpen has posted a 0.62 ERA in six playoff games, with 13 hits allowed and 39 strikeouts in 29 innings. In using five relievers to follow starter Cristian Javier on Saturday in a three-hit shutout, the Astros didn’t have a reliever throw more than 20 pitches, so they should all be available for Game 4. That’s in addition to closer Ryan Pressly, who didn’t enter in Game 3, and length options in Seth Martinez and regular-season starters José Urquidy and Luis Garcia.
Yankees: It’s all hands on deck with the season on the line. In Game 3, Lou Trivino tossed 19 pitches, Miguel Castro threw 14 and Domingo Germán made his postseason debut with a 24-pitch ninth inning.
Astros: Houston is as healthy as it’s been all season. Outfielder Michael Brantley (shoulder surgery) and catcher Jason Castro (knee surgery) were ruled out for the season in June.
Yankees: Aaron Hicks’ season ended after he sustained a left knee injury colliding with Cabrera in pursuit of a popup in Game 5; he said that his estimated recovery time is six weeks. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi (right wrist discomfort), infielder DJ LeMahieu (right foot ligament) and right-hander Ron Marinaccio (stress reaction in right shin) are traveling with the club but were not placed on the ALCS roster.
Who is hot and who is not?
Yankees: Bader logged one of the Yankees’ three hits in Game 3 and is 7-for-25 in eight postseason games so far. … Judge was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Game 3 and has only one hit in the ALCS.
Anything else fans might want to know?
Astros: The Astros are 12-5 all-time in postseason games vs. the Yankees, their most such wins vs. any opponent. … Houston’s .706 win percentage in the postseason vs. the Yankees is the second-best all-time behind Detroit (.769, 10-3). … Dusty Baker has 46 wins in the postseason as a manager, surpassing Dave Roberts (45) for fourth most, and now trails only Hall of Famer skippers Joe Torre (84), Tony La Russa (71) and Bobby Cox (67). Half of Baker’s postseason wins have come in the last three seasons with the Astros.
Yankees: The Yankees were shut out on Saturday in a home postseason game for just the 16th time in franchise history and for just the fourth time since the new Yankee Stadium opened in 2009. … The Bombers have been held to six hits or fewer in each of their past 10 postseason games since Game 5 of the 2020 ALDS, three games more than the Twins’ run of seven straight from 1965-69.
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here