Tag Archives: Drew Smyly

Jose Altuve Homers to Tie for Second on MLB’s All-Time Playoff Home Run Leaderboard

Posted on by
Reply

Jose Altuve has batted his way into the Major League Baseball history books…

During Game 2 of the World Series, the 31-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player and Houston Astros second baseman hit a home run off a first-pitch fastball from Drew Smyly, leading off the bottom of the seventh by sneaking a fly ball just inside the left-field pole for a 7-2 Astros lead.

Jose Altuve

It was Altuve’s 22nd career home run in the postseason, tying him with Bernie Williams for second on the all-time list.

The two trail behind Manny Ramirez‘s 29 postseason homers.

While Williams did it in 121 games, Altuve has required just 75. Altuve had struggled in the ALCS, hitting .125 (although with two home runs), and then went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in Game 1.

He then turned around and gave Houston two big swings in Game 2 on Wednesday night — including an historic one.

“To hit 22 homers in the playoffs and tie him — always every time that my name is mentioned, before it was Derek Jeter, now it’s Bernie Williams — it means a lot to me,” Altuve said. “It makes me keep going out there, hitting homers to help my team, to keep accomplishing things like this. As long as we win, everything’s good.”

Overall, the 2017 American League MVP Award winner is Houston’s all-time leader in postseason hits (88), runs (66) and home runs (22), and this year, he became the fastest player in MLB history to hit 20 postseason home runs when he went deep in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox.

Veras Traded to the Detroit Tigers

Posted on by
Reply

The Detriot Tigers have discovered their next closer… And, his name is José Veras.

The Tigers acquired the 32-year-old Dominican relief pitcher on Monday from the Houston Astros in exchange for minor league outfielder Danry Vasquez and a player to be named later.

Jose Veras

Veras is 0-4 with a 2.93 ERA this season, and the 32-year-old right-hander has struck out 44 in 43 innings with only 14 walks.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski says the team is pleased to add an experienced arm to the bullpen.

Detroit entered the season with a lot of uncertainty at the closer spot, and although Joaquin Benoit has pitched well in the role in recent games, the AL Central-leading Tigers needed bullpen depth.

Aside from Benoit and Drew Smyly, none of their other relievers have been all that effective on a consistent basis.

In his Major League Baseball career, Veras has played for the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, the Florida Marlins, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Astros.

Peralta Propels the Detroit Tigers to Victory with a Ninth-Inning Home Run

Posted on by
Reply

Jhonny Peralta has managed to save the best for last…

The 31-year-old Dominican professional baseball player’s ninth-inning home run gave the Detroit Tigers a much-needed victory against the Boston Red Sox.

Jhonny Peralta

Peralta hit the two-run homer off Andrew Bailey in the bottom of the ninth to give the Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox on Thursday night.

Boston led 3-2 when Victor Martinez drew a leadoff walk off Bailey, and Peralta followed with a line drive over the fence in left field for his seventh homer of the year.

“I don’t try to hit a home run, but I try to have good contact with the ball,” Peralta said. “That’s what happened when I had good contact.”

Earlier in the game, David Ortiz homered and drove in a tiebreaking run with an eighth-inning single to put Boston up, but Drew Smyly (3-0) replaced Phil Coke for Detroit and prevented any further scoring by the Red Sox. He struck out four in two innings of relief.

Detroit improved to only 2-19 when trailing after eight innings.

But Peralta proved to be the hero with one swing and was mobbed at the plate.

“I see everybody at home plate, it’s a good feeling, hitting a walk-off home run,” Peralta said. “It’s the best that I can feel.”