Yankees fail to sweep Astros as Houston wins final, 4-3

The Yankees were unable to capitalize on a tantalizing opportunity to record a season sweep against the Astros on Thursday, losing 4-3 to their greatest foe in the last decade. The loss ended New York’s nine-game winning streak against Houston that dated back to last September. Yankees starter Marcus Stroman struggled after a rough first inning and the bullpen was typically excellent, but their offense — red-hot through the first two games of the series — fell just short.

After being outscored 19-7 in the first two games of the series, the Astros’ bats made themselves known early in game three. Yordan Alvarez struck first in the opening period, crushing a 116.8 mph screamer to the second deck in right to give Houston an early lead. This was nothing new, as Kyle Tucker hit solo shots of his own in the first inning on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Yankees quickly responded.

The problem for Stroman was that he didn’t hold the Astros to a single run. After a Jeremy Peña walk, Jon Singleton delivered a 442-foot bomb to the upper deck to make it 3-0, Astros.

Stroman allowed just nine long balls in 136.2 innings last year, but he’s already allowed seven in just 42.2 frames this year — an unusual rate for a pitcher who kept the ball in the yard. reliably throughout his career.

Stroman had more trouble in the second half, loading the bases after allowing a double by Yainer Diaz and weak singles to Joey Loperfido and Jose Altuve. On a 3-2 count, the Yankee right-hander retired Tucker, the Astros’ best hitter. He then induced a steal from Alvarez, preventing the Astros from putting a crooked number on the board early.

The Yankees bats, which had been so dynamic in this series, broke through in the third. Oswaldo Cabrera started the inning by reaching on a weak pitch that starter Ronel Blanco threw away, which was scored questionably in the hit column. Anthony Volpe followed with a line drive that snuck over the right-field porch for a two-run back-and-forth.

That’s where the score remained until the start of the fifth. Alvarez hit a one-out double to right, scoring on a base hit by Peña up the middle and Volpe’s glove to short. Stroman escaped further damage during an uncharacteristic 5-3 double play, as Cabrera caught a high popup near the pitcher’s mound and pushed it to first to double Peña.

In the bottom half of the inning, Cabrera led off with a base hit and Juan Soto drew a one-out walk, putting two runners on with one out for Aaron Judge, who was warming up before the play. made a change for a double play in the bottom of the inning. It was the Yankees captain’s 10th double murder this season, three more than any other player in baseball, in what has become a disturbing trend.

After leading Diaz into a double play in the sixth, Stroman gave up a two-out walk to Loperfido that ended his night. The right-hander’s final line was 5.2 innings with four runs spread around nine hits and two walks, bringing his season ERA to 3.80.

Luke Weaver came on in place of Stroman and played admirably, putting Mauricio Dubón on a flyout to end the sixth before retiring the team in order in the seventh, including punches from the always dangerous Tucker and Alvarez. He was replaced in the eighth by Dennis Santana, who recorded a scoreless inning of his own to keep the Yankees’ deficit at two.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees bats began to show signs of life against Astros reliever Ryan Pressly. Soto hit a 114.9 mph scorcher right on Tucker just for number one. Then Judge turned around what had been an 0-for-3 day with just one hit, a bomb that landed 473 feet from home plate to bring the Yankees within one.

It was the captain’s longest shot since a 496-foot shot during his sensational rookie season against now teammate Stroman.

Alex Verdugo followed with a walk, bringing Giancarlo Stanton to the plate. The towering DH worked hard and fouled two tough throws before getting dinged on a Pressly slider that nicked the inside corner. Houston closer Josh Hader then came in to face fellow lefty Anthony Rizzo, who popped a slider to end the inning.

Ron Marinaccio worked in and out of trouble in the top of the ninth, completing a scoreless day for the Yankees’ makeshift – but remarkably effective – bullpen.

The Yankees threatened in the ninth, after a single by Gleyber Torres and a check-swing dribbler by Jon Berti put a runner in scoring position with one out. But Hader closed the door, forcing pinch hitter Jose Trevino to fly out and strike out Volpe to close out Houston’s one-run victory.

The Yankees will kick off a three-game series at Tampa Bay tomorrow at 6:50 p.m. ET. Clarke Schmidt is lined up to start, having picked up his third win of the season against the Tigers. The Rays are expected to hand the ball to Taj Bradley in his first appearance of the season, taking the place of injured starter Ryan Pepiot.

The score of the box