The Houston Astros win the ALCS battle 4-2, but the war is not over yet!

But it wasn’t over for the Yankees yet, and their fans had their hopes renewed in the top of the 9th.  With two outs left and every Astros fan standing on their feet, even those watching on their TVs everywhere, all collectively holding their breath, waiting for Roberto Osuna to get out #2.

But let’s face it, DJ LeMahieu is no joke y’all and suddenly the tides shifted. You could hear the sigh of disappointment as it flowed like a wave through Minute Maid Park, fans in the right-field seats backing away from the wall and away from the ball that was just out of reach of a jumping George Springer, and it was gone.

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LeMahieu tied the game 4 to 4 with a two-run shot and each and every fan was crushed with the memories of still-healing scars of the 2018 war lost one year ago, almost to the day.

Osuna fought back the disappointment and masterfully got the next two outs, striking out Aaron Judge for out #2 and a flyout to Reddick by Gleyber Torres for out #3.

So here we are, it’s the bottom of the 9th, and every single fan in the Park is on their feet as Martin Maldonado fought the bitter fight that culminated in being struck out by Aroldis Chapman. Josh Reddick, swinging for the fences and coming up short, was visibly upset that he didn’t make the last shot count. Live video shots of fans fighting back the disappointment of possible extra innings were seen throughout the stands.

And into the box walks George Springer. We can all imagine that he’s feeling like he’s let his team and his fans down missing the leaping attempt in the top of the inning, and hoping beyond hope that he can make it up to everyone – fans and teammates alike – by getting his moonshot that would have duplicated his success in Game 5 of the 2017 WS.

Springer battled hard and won with a two-out walk.

Up to the plate comes Altuve, our own mighty little giant, with thoughts of thankfulness just to be given an opportunity to help his team when the baton is passed on to him.

How suitable it is that this mighty man of faith – who, while limping on one leg because of a knee injury that would eventually require surgery, a man who was robbed of a two-run home run in Game 4 of the 2018 ALCS because it was ruled an out due to fan interference – would finally get what felt like redemption to so many fans as the ball sailed to the opposite wall in center field and moved his team on to the next battle in the postseason war, the 2019 World Series.

We won the game not because I hit a homer. Yuli [Gurriel] hit a three-run homer, Michael Brantley made a really good play over there, [George] Springer just walked and put some pressure on them to get some momentum going. We worked as a team. We don’t have just one player, as I said before, and I’m just so happy for right now.” ~Jose Altuve via Sacha Pisani of Sporting News

It’s so hard not to feel sorry for the Yankees and their fans. It’s hard because we understand what they’re going through. We’ve been there. We’ve done that.

The Yankees put up an epic battle and, just like us one year ago almost to the day, they’re crying in their spilled milk, sad that their season has ended and they have to wait until Spring Training 2020 to see their boys on the field again.

“No matter how many games we won in the regular season, this is a failure,” Aaron Judge said, in the middle of the despair. “I think about the season as a whole, guys getting injured, guys getting back, a lot of ups and downs, I think about missed opportunities and some guys I might not play with again …” (New York Post, Mike Vaccaro)

But we’re Houston Proud and we’re Texas Strong. We love our team because they love us. We honor them and this game called baseball and we are not rubbing it in the faces of the Yankees or their fans.

Congratulations Yankees, on a battle well fought and on a season worthy of history for the game and for your franchise. Thank you Yankees, for the fight. Thank you for a good ride. Thank you for the thrill called October baseball.

For the Houston Astros, however, it’s not over. We’re at the hairpin turn of this ride and we’re coming up to meet the Nationals. The Nationals, with pitching and hitting and fans pumped for their first-ever WS appearance. It is going to be an epic ride and a hard-fought battle.

Bring it on, boys. The Houston Astros and the fans are ready to meet the problem called the Washington Nationals.