Managers AJ Hinch and Aaron Boone were playing a game of chess with their relief pitchers, each making their move and counter move, pitcher against pitcher, inning after inning. Fourteen pitchers later, it was the Astros checkmating the Yankees. Houston takes the American League Crown and the privilege to move on to the World Series.
The Astros wasted no time, scoring three runs off of Chad Green in the first inning. Jose Altuve started it off with a line-drive double to center field, followed by Alex Bregman reaching on a walk two batters later.