The New York Yankees were full of excuses following their loss to the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the ALCS on Thursday night.
MLB made the decision to open the roof at Minute Maid Park in Houston for Game 2. That was just the second time all season the Astros played at Minute Maid Park with the roof open. Yankees manager Aaron Boone thinks it had a huge impact on the game.
With the Yankees trailing 3-2 and a runner on base in the eighth, Aaron Judge belted a ball to deep right field that looked like it had a chance to leave the park. Instead, Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker leaped and made an incredible catch to preserve Houston’s lead. Boone told reporters after the game that he believes Judge’s out would have been an easy home run if the roof at Minute Maid Park were closed.
Notice how Boone said the hit “felt like (Judge’s) homers to right.” He was referring to all the opposite-field home runs the slugger has hit.
Alex Bregman blasted a three-run homer to left field in the bottom of the third, and that was all the offense the Astros needed. He actually delivered a funny quote about the roof being open before the game.
Between Boone blaming the open roof and Luis Severino explaining why the Astros got “lucky,” the Yankees did not exactly lose with grace in Game 2.
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