VIDEO: DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks Go Yard as Yankees Storm Back to Take 4-1 Lead in Game 5
By Jerry Trotta
They aren't dead yet! The New York Yankees got off to a sluggish start facing elimination in Game 5 of the ALCS on Friday night as they gifted the Houston Astros a first inning run with a misplayed grounder, passed ball and wild pitch that eventually allowed George Springer to walk home from third. Well, the Yanks just so happened to shake off that ugly display as their offense responded in a BIG way in the bottom half of the frame against Justin Verlander. DJ LeMahieu got the party started with an opposite field leadoff blast to tie things up at one run apiece.
That'll do!
Aaron Judge subsequently singled and Gleyber Torres followed that up with a double down the line to set the Pinstripes up with runners on second and third with nobody out.
Giancarlo Stanton struck out as the next batter, but Aaron Hicks picked up his teammate by smoking a three-run blast to right field that smashed into the foul pole.
It's not often you see Verlander hang pitches that brutally, and credit to Hicks for pouncing on it.
We have a GAME, folks!