Houston Astros earn series split in 3-1 win over the Yankees

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McHugh whiffs eight Yanks in eight

Starting pitchers Collin McHugh and Michael Pineda worked through eight innings, matching each other blow-for-blow during the four-game series finale Sunday afternoon. McHugh (9-3, 4.51 ERA) would be backed up by a couple of extra-base hits that drove in runs as the Houston Astros went onto earning the series split by defeating the New York Yankees, 3-1.

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The 28-year-old Naperville, Illinois native held the Bronx Bombers to only one run on two hits with two walks and eight strikeouts just a day after they drove in nine behind Brian McCann‘s early grand slam to claim Saturday’s win.

New York struck first on an RBI single by speedy outfielder, Brett Gardner during the top of the third inning, scoring infielder Stephen Drew from second base. Drew worked a five-pitch walk and later ended up in scoring position on a wild pitch by McHugh with Gardner in the batter’s box.

Houston’s starter got both Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez to pop out to second baseman Jose Altuve to end the inning. Altuve made a beautiful play on A-Rod for the third out on a ball that fell between three Astros.

The All-Star hopeful raced into shallow right field with Chris Carter and Domingo Santana looking to make a play on the ball, but he managed to get there just in time. Santana slid towards Carter and if it wasn’t for Altuve, the Yankees could have made it 2-0.

We head into the bottom of the fourth inning when Carlos Correa doubled on a fly ball to center field when Gardner failed to field it cleanly, twice. This resulted in the rookie to turn on the jets, rounding the bases and crossing home plate safely to even things out at one apiece and only one out in the inning.

Correa later recorded a leadoff double in the seventh inning to left fielder, Garrett Jones with Altuve on-deck. Altuve moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt, setting up yet another RBI opportunity for designated hitter, Evan Gattis.

Sure enough, Gattis drilled the third pitch of the at-bat to left field, scoring Correa on an RBI triple to give the Astros the late 2-1 lead. Catcher Jason Castro plated the final run of the ballgame on a sacrifice fly to Jones, allowing Preston Tucker to tag up from third.

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