Yankees Get One Back as Aaron Hicks, James Paxton Stymie Astros in Game Five

Players of the Day for Friday, October 18, 2019

American League

Paxton: 6IP, 4H, 1ER, 9K

New York Yankees 4 Houston Astros 1

After Houston pushed across a run in the top of the first, Justin Verlander ran into immediate trouble in game five of the AL Championship Series, allowing a leadoff home run to DJ LeMaheiu, followed by a three-run blast off the bat of Aaron Hicks in the bottom of the inning.

Hicks belts 3-run homer

Those four runs were more than enough for Yankee starting pitcher, James Paxton, who shut down the Astros over the next five innings, keeping them from scoring again. Paxton worked six solid frames, giving up four hits and four walks, striking out nine. After 112 pitches, Paxton hit the bench, Tommy Kahnle, Zack Britton, and Aroldis Chapman finished up, Chapman firing a hitless ninth inning for his first save of the series.

Paxton was 15-6 with a 3.82 ERA during the regular season. Friday's victory was his first of the post-season. In just 221 regular season at-bats, Hicks batted .235 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI in a season shortened by injuries.

With five games on the books, Houston still leads, three games to two, with game six slated for an 8:08 start on Saturday night at Yankee stadium.

The winner of the AL pennant will face the Washington Nationals, champions of the National League, in the 2019 World Series.