SAN DIEGO — A few minutes before he gave the Astros a 4–3 win in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, Carlos Correa told manager Dusty Baker that he would do it.
“Walk-off,” said the shortstop, and then he swaggered to the plate.
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Baker, in his first year as Astros skipper, had heard that Correa occasionally called his shot in that way. He had done it a year before, when he walked off the Yankees in the 11th inning of Game 2 of the ALCS. But Baker had never seen it, and he thought it might be nice to have some backup just in case. So he prayed to his father, Johnnie Sr., who died in 2009. He prayed to his brother, Victor, who died in March. He…
