PHOENIX — While most of his teammates wore new orange postseason T-shirts that read “Take October,” veteran Astros first baseman José Abreu stood at his locker wearing a blue tank top. Abreu hopes the Astros can open another new box of tools Sunday if they win the American League West division title.
“We’ll wear the shirt tomorrow,” he said.
The Astros took a big step toward repeating as World Series champions on Saturday night by defeating the D-backs, 1-0, to secure at least one Wild Card berth. The Astros can win the AL West for the sixth time in seven years if they beat Arizona in Sunday’s regular-season finale and the Rangers lose to the Mariners, who were eliminated on Saturday.
The Astros’ path to the postseason Sunday:
Considering they still had a big goal ahead of them, the celebration inside the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field was “hushed,” as pitcher Justin Verlander noted. Veteran catcher Martín Maldonado led a champagne toast, and the Astros quickly turned their attention to Game 162 on Sunday.
“I know we’ve had ups and downs throughout the year, a lot of injuries, a lot of bad games,” Maldonado said. “It’s a grind. Need to stay calm, especially with a big game tomorrow. The division is still there, and that was our main goal in the beginning.
“It’s a big game tomorrow. I know a lot of people doubted us, especially the way we played at home, those games we lost to the Yankees and Kansas City [sweeps in September]. One thing I’m proud of is this team, we’re in this season. We know how to win games, and you’ve seen it the last few nights.
After stumbling through most of September and giving up a 2 1/2-game division lead, the Astros have won four of five games on the road, including a pair of one-run nail-biters over the D- backs (Arizona also won. a playoff spot on Saturday with Cincinnati’s loss).
Verlander threw five scoreless innings Saturday, Abreu drove in the only run of the game with an RBI double in the fourth inning and reliever Hector Neris got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh . Bryan Abreu recorded the final three outs. Houston’s bullpen has a 0.53 ERA over the past nine games.
“Unbelievable,” Verlander said. “Going five innings is not what I consider a job well done. I want to go deeper into the game, but to give it to the guys and have them do it the way they did…it’s huge. It makes it easier for our beginners.”
Pitching and defense led the way for the Astros, who scored three runs in two games in Arizona. On Friday, it was shortstop Jeremy Peña who made a great diving stop and throw to save two runs late in the game, and Maldonado threw the tying run to second base twice in Saturday — once on a bunt in the eighth and one out by the catcher. stealing the ninth. It was the first time he had been caught stealing in two months.
“I know the man [Jake McCarthy] fast, and [Bryan Abreu] I was given a chance,” Maldonado said. “He handled the ball very well, and I threw well. In the end.”
Coming off their second World Series title in six seasons, the Astros are looking to become the first team to repeat since the 1998-2000 Yankees. Injuries followed, along with pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. lost the spring season and Jose Altuve missed the first 48 games after breaking his thumb.
A month into the season, the Astros lost starting pitchers José Urquidy and Luis Garcia to multiple injuries, putting the spotlight on rookie starters JP France and Hunter Brown. While the starting pitching was solid behind Framber Valdez in the first half of the season, the offense suffered without Altuve, a poor start by José Abreu and an oblique injury to Yordan Alvarez that cost him six weeks.
The offense, led by Kyle Tucker, started when it got better, and the Astros bolstered their rotation in July by bringing back Verlander in a trade with the Mets.
“I wasn’t here earlier in the year when a lot of guys were injured, but talking to all the guys, it’s not one of those times where anything seems easy, to be able to fight it. difficulty and make the playoffs, it means a lot,” Verlander said.
The Astros chased the Rangers all season before finally moving into first place on Aug. 29, but going 2-7 in games against the A’s and Royals in September left Houston fighting for its playoff existence. And now the club has a chance to beat Rangers on the last day of the season.
“A lot of things have to go our way and you have to play good baseball,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “I am proud of these guys so far. We still have one more game to win, and if we win and [the Rangers] victory, we give it our best shot. “