HOUSTON — It was a record-setting night for Astros ace Justin Verlander, who returned to his Hall-of-Fame form Wednesday night in Houston’s opening game of the American League Championship Series against New York.
Verlander gave up one run – a solo shot to Harrison Bader -- while striking out 11 Yankees in six innings. He left after six innings with the game tied at 1. Houston would go on to win, 4-2 to take a 1-0 series lead over New York in the ALCS.
With the strikeouts, Verlander became the all-time leader in MLB postseason strikeouts with 219. He also tied a personal record with six consecutive strikeouts in the postseason.
Verlander would set another record before the night was over. His 11 strikeouts gave him eight career double-digit strikeout games in the postseason. No pitcher has done that more.
It was a good bounce-back game for Verlander who struggled in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against Seattle, giving up six runs. It was a game the Astros would win, 8-7, thanks to a Yordan Alvarez three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Astros haven’t lost since.