Three takeaways from Astros' Game 3 ALCS win over Yankees

Thomas Lott

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Three takeaways from Astros' Game 3 ALCS win over Yankees image

This isn't 2017.

During the American League Championship Series that year between the Astros and Yankees, not a single game was won by the road team. Through three games of the 2019 ALCS, two games have been won by the visitor after Houston's 4-1 win over New York at Yankee Stadium in Game 3 on Tuesday.

Gerrit Cole threw seven shutout innings and the only run the Yankees could score was on a solo shot by Gleyber Torres in the bottom of the eighth.

Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday but that looks up in the air at the moment. More on that later.

Three takeaways from Astros' Game 3 ALCS win over Yankees

Gary Sanchez's biggest problem resurfaces

Gary Sanchez has really had one big issue in his MLB career: he lets too many balls get past him. He gave up 34 passed balls combined between 2017 and 2018 and saw another 88 wild pitches go to the backstop. This was a big issue with Joe Girardi, but to an extent with Aaron Boone, his problem started to go away. There were fewer wild pitches in 2018 and he allowed less than half the number of passed balls (7) in 2019 that he did in fewer games in 2018 (18). 

But in Game 3, his problem resurfaced and at the absolute worst moment. And actually, he initially got lucky and his mistake didn't come back to bite him. With the bases loaded and the Yankees down 2-0 in the top of the seventh, Sanchez didn't get in front of a Zack Britton sinker in the dirt and it looked destined for the backstop and a run for the Astros. But the ball hit umpire Kerwin Danley and stopped right there and it looked like it was going to be OK. But Britton threw the exact same pitch on his next delivery and Sanchez wasn't as lucky. Jose Altuve scored and made the game 3-0. And it was all on Sanchez.

Sanchez does a lot of good things from hitting home runs to working counts to throwing out baserunners. But man, his big mistakes are really, really big and his Game 3 mistake might be his biggest yet.

Juiced ball no more

This can't be ignored anymore. And we'll keep it short and just use video evidence to prove out point. There are rumors that MLB changed the ball this offseason.

We would think Didi Gregorius would agree.

And so would Martin Maldonado as he hit a ball that likely would have been a home run just one half inning later. 

Watch either of these fly balls and it's hard to think they don't go out during the regular season and the postseason has changed because of it.

Weather on the 1's

Now the weather becomes a major issue with this series.

There is currently a 100 percent chance of rain Wednesday when Game 4 is scheduled to be played at Yankee Stadium. The Astros have a bullpen day scheduled for this game, but if rain does delay it then they may go with Zack Greinke in Game 4.

That would move up Justin Verlander to pitch in Game 5 and Gerrit Cole again in Game 6. The Yankees are probably praying for this game not to be rained out because facing a rookie in Jose Urquidy in this one has to feel good for New York.

MLB has yet to announce any changes to this game's schedule, but check back for more updates.

Thomas Lott