HOUSTON — Carlos Correa hit a go-ahead, three-run homer after Michael Brantley’s two-run shot in the fourth inning, helping the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 11-6 to clinch their home-run heavy AL Division Series in four games.
Correa drove in five as the Astros — October villains to many a year after their sign-stealing scandal was revealed — advanced to the AL Championship Series for the fourth consecutive season.
It will be their first ALCS under Dusty Baker, their 71-year-old manager.
Baker earned his first closeout win since the 2003 NL Division Series and improved to 4-13 in closeouts.
Astros, A's set ALDS HR mark
The Astros and A's both hit 12 home runs in the series, which set an MLB mark.
The 12 team homers is a record as well as the 24 combined homers. The teams passed marks set by the Yankees and Mariners in the 1995 ALDS. In that series, both teams hit 11 homers, but they played a five-game series, opposed to this year's series between Houston and Oakland, which lasted four games.
Below are highlights of the game
The Astros have advanced to their fourth-straight ALCS with an 11-6 win over Oakland!
The Athletics took a 3-0 lead early. It was a lead that could have been more if not for the heroics of Astros right fielder Josh Reddick.
And shortly thereafter, Michael Brantley would get the Astros to within a run with one swing, his first of two home runs on the day.
With Houston still training, Carolos Correa three-run blast put the Astros on top.
This was Michael Brantley's second home run of the day, which gave Houston a 6-4 lead.
The Astros' offensive explosion continued with Jose Altuve's two-run blast to straight-away center field. Astros led 11-4.
