LEADING OFF: Yanks' Cole, Rays' Glasnow tabbed for Game 5

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

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WINNER-TAKE-ALL

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and towering Tampa Bay righty Tyler Glasnow will both pitch on short rest in the deciding Game 5 of their AL Division Series. Cole earned the victory in Game 1 despite allowing two home runs, and he’ll appear on three days’ rest after throwing 97 pitches.

The 6-foot-8 Glasnow will be pitching on two days’ rest after striking out 10 in Game 2. He’s expected to be used as an opener, possibly ahead of 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.

“I haven’t really talked about innings or anything like that,” Glasnow said after New York won 5-1 Thursday to force Game 5. “I just know I’m starting tomorrow, but I feel good about it. I’m excited. ... As far as health goes, I feel good. I’m ready to go. I was in the ’pen today. I was ready to come out today.”

The Yankees are trying to reach the ALCS for the third time in four seasons following eliminations by the Astros at that stage in 2017 and last season. The Rays are trying to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2008, when they made it to their only World Series.

BANG UP JOB

Three years after a sign-stealing scheme propelled the Astros to their first World Series title, Houston is banging away once again — this time, presumably, without any trash cans involved. The Astros advanced to their fourth straight AL Championship Series by finishing off Oakland on Thursday, and now they’re waiting to see if they’ll play the Rays or Yankees.

After slumping through the regular season, Houston’s hitters came alive in the division series. The team batted .322 against the A’s, with Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker each batting over .400, and George Springer at .389.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LEADING-OFF-Yanks-Cole-Rays-Glasnow-tabbed-15632984.php