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Justin Verlander settles down, Astros beat Yankees in ALCS opener

AP photo by Eric Gay / Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander celebrates the third out of the top of the sixth inning in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday night.
AP photo by Eric Gay / Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander celebrates the third out of the top of the sixth inning in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday night. AP photo by Eric Gay / Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander celebrates the third out of the top of the sixth inning in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the visiting New York Yankees on Wednesday night.

By KRISTIE RIEKEN / The Associated Press 7 min read

HOUSTON — When 39-year-old Justin Verlander was laboring early and needed 45 pitches to get through two innings, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker was worried he’d have to go to his bullpen early.

Instead, the veteran ace buckled down and found a groove, striking out 11 batters in six strong innings to lead the home team over the New York Yankees, 4-2, in their American League Championship Series opener Wednesday night.

“He has mental toughness,” Baker said. “When he’s down and out and it looks like you’ve got him in trouble, this guy, he can dial it up.”

Yuli Gurriel launched a tiebreaking homer for Houston in the sixth, and Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña also went deep as the AL West Division champions improved to 4-0 in the playoffs after going 106-56 during the regular season.

The Astros are in their sixth consecutive ALCS, looking to reach the World Series for the fourth time in that span, against a New York team in this round of the playoffs for the first time since being eliminated by Houston in 2019.