HOUSTON — The Houston Astros fell to the New York Yankees 8-4 on Thursday night, losing the three-game series and ceding ground in the tight AL playoff race. The Astros offense was paced by an exceptional performance from Yordan Alvarez, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a decisive Yankees’ fifth inning and a late-game surge.
Astros starter Cristian Javier (1-2) ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing three runs after the Yankees’ offense came alive. The scoring included a solo home run by Ryan McMahon, which put New York ahead 4-1. While Javier was able to record a few key strikeouts, his night ended after just 4 1/3 innings.
The Astros mounted a brief comeback, starting with Alvarez’s solo home run in the third off Yankees starter Carlos Rodón. Jesús Sánchez later added a pinch-hit solo homer in the seventh, pulling the score to 4-3 and giving the home crowd hope.
However, the momentum was short-lived. In the eighth inning, the Yankees sealed the victory with a three-run blast from Trent Grisham off Astros reliever Kaleb Ort, extending their lead to 8-3. The Astros managed to scratch across one more run in the ninth, but the rally was stifled, and the game ended with the tying run left on base.
The loss came at a crucial time for the Astros, as it tightened the race in the AL West. The team now sits in first place with a record of 77-64, holding a 3.5-game lead over the second-place Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers are a further 1.5 games back, at 72-69. With just a few weeks left in the regular season, every game will be critical for Houston to secure its playoff spot.
Despite the loss, Yordan Alvarez had a remarkable night, going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. The Astros’ inability to capitalize on their opportunities and a challenging outing from the bullpen ultimately determined the outcome.