Astros

Playoff Baseball in September

Published

September 26, 2023

Image via Getty Images

1-0.

That is the name of the game down this stretch. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it doesn’t have to be a blowout just have to win and the Stros need about 5 more of them to dance in October.

Tilt.

If you played poker before you’ve witnessed another human on TILT, if you played poker before you yourself for sure have gone on TILT. In life and in sports you see it, where the moment is big and you know the moment is big but you get over your skis and you are scrambling to get back into control and you just cannot. Well, that’s what it felt like watching the last homestand this past week at MMP. Every sellout crowd knew the implications of each game, the boys on the field did, and yet instead of handshakes and highfives we had the entire city on TILT. And for me? I was full Teddy KGB on TILT after a weekend sweep from the damn Royals.

Justin F’n Verlander

With the season on the line, battling father time and expectations of an entire fanbase on his right arm, Justin Verlander at age 40 delivers one of his best career starts as a Houston Astros. Last night, was the reason you sent your top 2 prospects at the deadline to reacquire Justin Verlander after he was studying abroad for a semester. Like a scene out of a Disney writer’s room he made his return home and for a moment lit a dying fire under this team and fan base ass. Witnessing Justin Verlander work with a lead is one thing, watching him be a tactical surgeon all night to silence a home sellout crowd in a playoff win and in series is another. Using the high heater that touched 95-96 at times and using the slider and 12-6 curve at a high usage rate had this potent Seattle offense in a tizzy. The only moment of hope was a bases loaded one out situation with Ju-li-oooooo chants echoing T-Mobile Park, and JV just got the young super star to roll me over Ronnie to Jeremy Pena to turn a crucial double play. 8 IP. 1 ER. 3 H. 8 PUNCHIES. Hell of a night to go 1-0 JV.

Justin Verlander turning the clock back last night pic.twitter.com/QSW9r8dikW
— Apollo Dez (@ApolloDez1) September 26, 2023

Successful JV Day, wouldn't you say? pic.twitter.com/VaJVdYBFgv
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 26, 2023

The Offense

“Here we go again” runner on 3rd no outs and then all of a sudden staring down a 1-2 count with 2 outs I was back on TILT. Then Maurico Dubon barreled a 98 mph heater to right field and I could finally breathe for the first team in weeks. Then Martin Maldonado smacked a double into the gap and Jose Altuve did Jose Altuve things and in that moment I went from “Here we go again to let’s fucking go!” I have no idea why Seattle is pitching to Yordan Alvarez but please keep doing that. King Tuck sent one to Canada and for one night the offense went 1-0.