New York Turns To CC Sabathia For Game 7 Of The ALCS With A Trip To The World Series On The Line

With a trip to the World Series on the line who's more qualified to make the start for Joe Girardi than 37 year old veteran left-hander CC Sabathia who is 10-0 following a New York loss this season.

The ultimate rubber match will unfold at Minute Maid Park this evening, with the Astros and Yankees set to battle for the American League pennant in a Game 7 clash. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The looming finale of this best-of-seven AL Championship Series presented by Camping World (8 p.m. ET/7 CT on FS1), features a matchup between a pair of veterans: lefty CC Sabathia gets the nod for the Yankees, with the Astros turning to right-hander Charlie Morton after forcing a win-or-go-home game with a 7-1 victory in Game 6 on Friday. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The winning club will land a date with the Dodgers in the World Series presented by YouTube TV (7:30 p.m. ET air time on FOX), set to begin Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

"It's going to be crazy," Houston second baseman Jose Altuve said. "I know both teams are going to go out there and leave everything they have, because this is the last game for the losing team. It's going to be beautiful. I hope we have a good game, and I hope we win it." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

In the opposing clubhouse, fellow AL MVP Award candidate Aaron Judge echoed Altuve's remarks. "according tohttp://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

"I'm excited," Judge said. "What an opportunity. We wouldn't want it any other way. We've just got to go out there, try to win every pitch and try to jump on them early." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The Yanks are seeking their 41st trip to the Fall Classic and first since 2009 when they captured the franchise's 27th championship, while the Astros are playing for their second World Series appearance. Their first came in 2005 as a member of the National League. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

"It's better than talking about the season being over, I'll tell you that much," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "I think for us, we felt confident coming back for Game 6, we were going to have a good game. This is a difficult team across the way. We're also a difficult team to close out." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The Astros are unbeaten at Minute Mark Park this postseason (5-0) and have won 16 of their past 18 contests at home going back to the regular season. But the Yankees have prevailed under pressure in October, no matter the setting. They're 4-0 in elimination games. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

"I try not to think about it, because I think sometimes that can cause more anxiety and you can overthink things in a sense," Yanks manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm trying to treat it as win one game. It's kind of been what we talked about the whole time we've been in the playoffs. And you just focus on that." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

Houston is riding the momentum of Justin Verlander's continued mastery on the mound and a much-needed jolt of offensive thunder found in Game 6. The Yankees, however, can find solace in the fact that Verlander's role in Game 7 will be reserved to that of a cheerleader. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

Otherwise, it will be all hands on deck behind Morton, who was struck for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings Monday in a Game 3 loss at Yankee Stadium. Morton brings with him a 3.34 ERA in 16 regular-season starts at Minute Maid Park. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

Dating to 1985, when the LCS expanded to a best-of-seven format, Game 7 home teams are 18-7. The last road club to win an LCS Game 7 was the 2006 Cardinals, though the Yanks are no stranger to the task. The franchise is 6-7 all-time in decisive Game 7s, including 4-3 on the road. But their last Game 7 road win? 1962, over the Giants in the World Series. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

Sabathia will look to change that. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The southpaw, who is 10-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 13 starts this year following a Yankees loss, has 17 career postseason appearances under his belt, with a tidy 3.31 ERA to show for it. Sabathia most recently picked up the win in Game 3, giving the Yanks six scoreless innings. He has a 2.30 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings in three starts this postseason. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

The 17-year veteran is on a quest for his second World Series title, his first coming in his first season with the Yankees in 2009. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

"It's been a tough road, not being in the playoffs for a long time and going through my personal things," Sabathia said. "It will feel good to get out there and have an opportunity to try to pitch this team to the World Series." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20171020259208614/ws-berth-on-line-in-game-7-for-yankees-astros/?game_pk=526503

As for New York and Houston's last game, New York took the loss in game six at Minute Maid Park as Houston evened up the series.

If Houston needed a win to reach game seven of the American League Championship Justin Verlander is who they would want to start and that he did in game six.

Another dominant performance by Justin Verlander saved the Astros' season for at least one more day and forced a Game 7 against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

Verlander threw seven scoreless innings for the Astros, who got clutch hits from Brian McCann and Jose Altuve in the fifth and a spectacular catch at the wall in the seventh by George Springer to beat the Yankees, 7-1, on Friday night in Game 6 at Minute Maid Park. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"For us to get to Game 7, I'm glad we played well enough to have home-field advantage," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It's going to be here in Houston." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Astros, looking to advance to their second World Series, will meet the Yankees, who are aiming for their 41st AL pennant, on Saturday in a win-or-go-home game. Since the LCS expanded to seven games in 1985, home teams are 18-7 in Game 7s. The home team has won the first six games of this ALCS presented by Camping World. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

It will be only the second Game 7 in Astros history, joining a 5-2 loss to St. Louis in the 2004 National League Championship Series. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"I'm not going to lie to you, it's a lot of emotion in that clubhouse," Altuve said. "It was a crazy game. But personally, I really like the way we play in these kind of games, with everybody up. I believe in my team. [Saturday] is going to be a good night." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

Verlander, who threw a 124-pitch complete game to beat the Yanks in Game 2 last Saturday, held New York to five hits and struck out eight. He's 9-0 (8-0 as a starter) since Houston acquired him in an Aug. 31 trade with Detroit, and has thrown 24 consecutive scoreless innings in elimination games. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"He's been everything that we could have hoped for and more," Hinch said. "This guy prepares. He rises to the moment. He's incredibly focused, locked in during games and emptied his tank tonight. I'm so proud of him, because I know how much it means to him. ... I hope we get to see him pitch again." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

Brad Peacock relieved Verlander to start the eighth and gave up a towering one-out homer to Aaron Judge to cut the lead to 3-1, but Altuve led off the eighth with a shot into the first row of the Crawford Boxes and Alex Bregman added a two-run double to make it 6-1. The Astros had put three days of offensive frustrations behind them. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"Today we got together and we felt like we were not sticking with our approach, especially when we went to New York," Houston shortstop Carlos Correa said. "We were swinging at a lot of bad pitches, and we just tried to be more selectively aggressive today and stay in the zone, and I think that worked out really well for us." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

Yankees starter Luis Severino was dominant through four innings, holding the Astros to one hit and one walk before they rallied with patient at-bats in the fifth. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

In the fifth, Severino walked two of the first three batters before McCann ripped a ground-rule double to right to score Bregman for a 1-0 lead. Severino walked Springer to load the bases, and one out later, Altuve blistered the first pitch he saw into the left-field corner to score Evan Gattis and McCann for a 3-0 Houston lead. Severino was done after 4 2/3 innings."according tohttp://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"It's disappointing, because they gave me the ball," Severino said. "I wanted to do the best possible I could, but I didn't do it. I lost my command in that last inning and I didn't do the job. After the first batter, leadoff walk, everything happened so fast. I didn't know what happened.""according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Yanks had a pair of runners on in the sixth against Verlander, who fell behind Gary Sanchez in the count, 3-0. But Sanchez bailed him out when he tried to check his swing and hit a slow roller to shortstop, where Correa threw him out to end the threat. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"I was just looking to make good contact there up the middle," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "I just wanted to put a good swing on that pitch, but he surprised me with that slider or curveball." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Yankees rallied again in the seventh when Verlander walked Greg Bird and hit Starlin Castro with a pitch to put runners at first and second with no outs, but Verlander struck out Aaron Hicks to cap a 10-pitch at-bat and got a big lift when Springer jumped to catch a 403-foot fly ball off the bat of Todd Frazier at the wall. Chase Headley grounded out to end the seventh. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"I think you have to keep tonight's game in perspective," Yanks manager Joe Girardi said. "We still have a shot to do what we want to try to do [Saturday]." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Astros were just 4-for-27 with runners in scoring position in the ALCS coming into Game 6, but McCann broke through with one of the biggest hits of the evening against Severino in the fifth, making the right-hander pay after issuing walks to Bregman and Gattis. McCann snapped an 0-for-20 skid by ripping a drive to right field that hopped over the wall for a ground-rule double, scoring Houston's first run. Altuve followed three batters later with the two-run single that chased Severino. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"I've been getting pitched tough all series, and I got a pitch out over the plate, and I was able to put a really good swing on it," McCann said. "Needed it. We were just waiting for one big hit. When we were in New York, they pitched about as good as you can pitch, so we hadn't really swung the bats great this series, so it was just good to put some runs on the board the way we did." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Yankees seemed to be set up for damage with two men on and none out in the seventh. Verlander needed 10 pitches to strike out Hicks, then he left a fastball up to Frazier, who barreled a deep drive toward the 404-foot marker in left-center field. Springer raced back to the warning track and snared the ball with a leap in front of the padded wall. Similarly hit balls go for hits 81 percent of the time, according to Statcast™. Verlander then turned the Yanks aside by getting Headley to ground out. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

"That's a ball right there that just it gets hit and you're instincts stay 'Go get it!'" Springer said. "I ran as fast as I could, and as far as I could, and just happened to get to it." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

Game 7 is a big deal for every single kid, for everybody that has a dream to play in the big leagues at some point. For me, it's going to be super special. We have to go out there [Saturday] and compete." -- Correa "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

The Yankees successfully challenged a call in the seventh after Castro claimed he had been hit by a Verlander pitch. Review showed that Verlander's pitch struck Castro's right forearm. The call on the field was overturned and Castro was awarded first base. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/259204850/astros-beat-yankees-to-force-game-7-in-alcs/

With the win Houston tied up the series at 3-3 to get to game seven Saturday night.

Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia will get the start for New York. He has a record of 14-5 with a 3.69 earn run average. With a trip to the Fall Classic on the line , Sabathia will start on regular rest after pitching sixscoreless frames against the Astros in Game 3. The veteran is 10-0 with a 1.69 earn run average in 13 starts following a Yankees loss this season. He will oppose Houston right -hander Charlie Morton who has a record of 14-7 with a 3.62 earn run average. The Astros will turn to Morton to start the winner take-all with a trip to the World Series on the line. He struggled in Game 3 against the Yankees, who tagged him for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-astros/2017/10/21/526503#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=526503

First pitch is set for 8:00pm. The game will be televised on FS1. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-astros/2017/10/21/526503#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=526503