Astros' added ace Greinke drops 2nd playoff start in ALCS G1

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's added ace is still looking for his first playoff win with the Astros after getting taken deep again.

At least the Astros have two All-Star pitchers lined up next after the New York Yankees tagged Zack Greinke in the AL Championship Series opener.

Greinke allowed two home runs in a span of three batters in the sixth inning Saturday night, and the Yankees went on to a 7-0 win at Minute Maid Park — where they lost all four games in their last ALCS appearance two years ago.

Already with Justin Verlander and big league strikeout leader Gerrit Cole, the Astros added Greinke, a six-time All-Star and 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, in a somewhat shocking deal moments before the July 31 trade deadline. For a club already cruising toward a third consecutive AL West title, it was a move made for October — where the Yankees figured to be a powerful opponent.

After Verlander and Cole dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in the first two games of the AL Division Series, it was Greinke's turn in the postseason. He allowed three homers and six runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 10-3 loss to the Rays.

That prompted manager AJ Hinch to try to close out that series with Verlander on short rest in Game 4. When that didn't work, Cole had to pitch the decisive Game 5 against Tampa Bay only two nights before the ALCS started against the rested Yankees.

Verlander will be on regular rest for Game 2 on Sunday night. He also pitched the second game of the 2017 ALCS against the Yankees, a 124-pitch complete game when the Astros scored in the bottom of the ninth for their second consecutive 2-1 win to start that series.

Cole will go in Game 3 at New York on Tuesday night.

"I think it's important not to overreact to anything," Hinch said. "And credit the Yankees for having a really...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Astros-added-ace-Greinke-drops-2nd-playoff-start-14517847.php