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 Young belted a three-run, momentum-altering homer in the seventh
inning while Eovaldi produced a quality start as the New York
Yankees toppled the Houston Astros 3-2 on Friday night at Minute
Maid Park.
Young, a product of nearby Bellaire High School, delivered his ninth
home run of the season off Astros right-hander Will Harris (4-1).
Young drilled Harris' center-cut fastball 358 feet to left field and
capped a 3-for-4 night with a single in his ensuring at-bat. In 25
career games at Minute Maid Park, Young is batting .410 (43-for-105)
with nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 14 multi-hit games.
"It definitely doesn't hurt to have some extra support behind your
back and a little extra kind of fire up under you when you step to
the plate," Young said. "You always have it under you, but anybody I
think will agree that when you have 50 people in the stands, it
definitely makes a difference."
Eovaldi (7-2), a native of Alvin, which is due south of Houston,
allowed just two runs on five hits and two walks while recording six
strikeouts over six innings. He excelled with Astros executive and
Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, nicknamed the "Alvin Express,"
looking on.
"Growing up for me I connected baseball with him," Eovaldi said of
Ryan. "In our town it was Nolan Ryan everything. You go to any
restaurant his memorabilia and everything was there.
"I had a lot of friends and family here tonight. It was just a big
game, a lot of emotions. Just trying not to let them get the best of
me and go out there and locate my pitches."
The late-inning rally set the table for a stellar performance from
the Yankees bullpen, one initiated by left-hander Chasen Shreve, who
struck out the side in the seventh inning, and capped by
right-hander Dellin Betances, who recorded four outs for his fifth
save this season.
Astros right-hander Vince Velasquez carried a shutout into the
seventh inning before surrendering consecutive one-out singles to
designated hitter Carlos Beltran and right fielder Garrett Jones.
Harris was summoned from the bullpen and immediately surrendered the
lead.
"I made a bad pitch and he did what he was supposed to do with it,"
Harris said of Young. "And that was the ballgame, the seventh
inning. No excuses. Just made a bad pitch, guy hit it out."
After consecutive starts in which he failed to last five innings
while totaling 195 pitches, Velasquez found the efficiency that
eluded him.
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He retired the Yankees (40-34) in order on just eight pitches in the
second and survived an eight-pitch confrontation with Yankees third
baseman Chase Headley to close the third with Brett Gardner on
second.
When Velasquez closed the fifth inning, he matched his career high
for innings, doing so in 17 fewer pitches than his big league debut
against the White Sox on June 10 when he tossed 89 pitches over five
scoreless.
"I'm heading in the right direction now," said Velasquez, who
allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 6
1/3 innings. "I'm getting my feet wet a little bit, going more than
five is something I was really impressed with. It's just moving on
forward from here."
Shortstop Carlos Correa delivered an RBI single off Eovaldi as
Houston (43-33) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third. Second baseman Jose
Altuve scored with two outs in the sixth on Evan Gattis' bloop
single to center field.
NOTES: Astros RHP Chad Qualls landed on the 15-day disabled list
retroactive to Thursday with a pinched nerve in his neck. Qualls is
1-4 with a 5.11 ERA and four saves in 29 appearances, including 0-2
with an 8.44 ERA this month. ... The Yankees outrighted LHP Jose De
Paula to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. De Paula made his big
league debut last week, pitching 3 1/3 innings while allowing one
run, two hits and four walks with two strikeouts against Detroit. De
Paula was designated for assignment two days ago to clear roster
space for RHP Ivan Nova. ... The Astros recalled 1B Jon Singleton
from Triple-A Fresno, where he hit .280/.387/.553 with 17 home runs
in 70 games. His 66 RBIs are tied for the most in the minors along
with high-Class A Lancaster 1B A.J. Reed. Singleton hit
.168/.285/.335 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs in 95 games as a rookie
last season, striking out 134 times in 362 plate appearances.
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