NEW YORK - With a clean all-around showing, the Houston Astros claimed a series at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. Four pitchers combined to allow five hits. Their lineup scratched out three runs against Gerrit Cole and two more against relievers. After a horrid homestand and a front-office shakeup, they took two of three against the Yankees and maintained a one-game division lead.
No city knows better the importance of a full cast, but here were three key players in a 5-1 win Thursday:
Christian Walker, who entered Wednesday mired in a slump, provided some valuable breathing room with a two-run homer off Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Walker entered Thursday in a 6-for-50 funk, with one home run in August. The first baseman said that he worked on a swing adjustment pregame to free up his hands.
"The feel the last few days hasn't been there," Walker said. "I felt stuck, like it was hard to get inside of sinkers. So pregame today just tried to get out of my own way and get free, just set up the machine and let the hands work, try not to get too clunky, keep my body out of the way."
#pregame
No city knows better the importance of a full cast, but here were three key players in a 5-1 win Thursday:
Christian Walker, who entered Wednesday mired in a slump, provided some valuable breathing room with a two-run homer off Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Walker entered Thursday in a 6-for-50 funk, with one home run in August. The first baseman said that he worked on a swing adjustment pregame to free up his hands.
"The feel the last few days hasn't been there," Walker said. "I felt stuck, like it was hard to get inside of sinkers. So pregame today just tried to get out of my own way and get free, just set up the machine and let the hands work, try not to get too clunky, keep my body out of the way."
#pregame
4 hours ago
