Alvarez, whom the Astros made the highest-paid designated hitter earlier this season, followed up a game-winning blast in Game 1 with a go-ahead homer to the Crawford Boxes in Game 2 on Thursday, cementing another Houston Astros come-from-behind win.
[Ads /]
The 'Stros took Game 2 from the Seattle Mariners' grasp, 4-2, and a commanding 2-0 AL Division Series lead.
SEE MORE: Yordan Alvarez walks off Astros' game-winner in ALDS comeback
Boom! Yordan Alvarez walks off Astros' game-winner in ALDS comeback
You can find the major moments of Game 2 below.
King Tuck's blast puts first run on the board
Kyle Tucker, who nearly entered the historic "30/30 Club" of players who hit 30 homers and stole 30 bases this past season, put Houston up early, 1-0, with a right-field, solo bomb off Castillo in the bottom of the second.
Tuve's web gem
Jose Altuve isn't a Gold Glove-winning second baseman for nothing.
[Ads /]
No. 27's scoop-and-throw to retire Seattle's third inning is worth a watch. Altuve grabbed the speedy Julio Rodriguez's grounder to his right side and then made a leaping throw to first in time to record the third out. Altuve would make a similar throw but under a lesser amount of duress in the fourth inning.
This was huge for the 'Stros. In the at-bat before the play, J.P. Crawford hit a deep double against the out-of-town scoreboard in left to record Seattle's first hit of the afternoon.
Wild fourth inning gives Mariners lead
Valdez faced minimal damage so far, up until the fourth inning, when, with Seattle runners on second and third base, he got rocked with a fielder's choice error trying to throw home to get the out. The same sequence recorded the second out when Carlos Santana, who hit the RBI, got caught in a rundown between second and first. The M's pulled even with Houston, 1-1.
The next at-bat put Seattle up, 2-1, when Dylan Moore hit a single to right, sending Mitch Haniger home from third.
Alvarez greets the Crawford Boxes
A reminder: Yordan Alvarez is the reigning AL Championship Series MVP.
Down to two outs but with Jeremy Pena on base - the same scenario as the ninth inning in Game 1, Alvarez sent a bomb to left field to give Houston the lead again in the sixth inning.
[Ads /]
'Stros back up, 3-2.
Insurance run arrives late
There were multiple chances for Seattle to pull even or take the lead after the Alvarez home run. Valdez was pulled after 5 and 2/3 innings, making way for pitchers Hector Neris' one out to finish the sixth inning, Bryan Abreu's two outs in the seventh, and Rafael Montero's clutch four outs from the seventh into the eighth.
So the pressure was on to add more runs.
It wouldn't come until the bottom of the eighth when Alex Bregman sent a line drive to right, bringing Jeremy Pena home to beat the relay throw and put Houston up, 4-2.
Astros closer Ryan Pressly shut the door in the ninth, getting a very fortunate unassisted double play by Yuli Gurriel to get the first two outs.
The series shifts to the Pacific Northwest where the Astros could clinch their sixth straight ALCS berth as early as Saturday.
Houston vs. Seattle ALDS scores and schedule
- Game 1: Astros 8, Mariners 5
- Game 2: Astros 4, Mariners 2
- Game 3: at Seattle, Saturday, 3:07 p.m.
- Game 4*: at Seattle, Sunday, 2:07 p.m.
- Game 5*: at Houston, Monday, 4:07 p.m. or 6:07 p.m.
*if necessary
SEE ALSO: Astros may be challenged by tight turnaround between Games 4 and 5