Daily dose of Yordan (ALCS Game 4(

Today's statline: 2-4, BB, RBI, R

​

At bat 1 (Top of first): 2 pitch popout to second

Facing Nick Pivetta in the beginning of the game with an early lead, Yordan started the at bat off by taking a fastball way high and outside for a ball, and then swung away at a pretty bad slider in a similar spot, high and outside of the zone. He still managed to muscle out a fly ball, but it was nowhere close to being a hit, as he hit a routine pop fly out to the shifted second baseman, who made the routine out to end the inning. Yordan has got to do more damage vs Boston's offspeed pitches that he continues to get, so far he's been really off on them leading to a lot of weak contact and bad counts.

At bat 2 (Top of fourth): 5 pitch walk

Facing Pivetta again in the fourth, this time with a deficit, Yordan did a much better job recognizing and identifying his pitches. He started the at bat by taking back to back fastballs high and outside for balls to make it a 2-0 count. He then took a slider high and outside, pretty much the same pitch he popped out on in the first inning, good to see he adjusted on it and recognized it early. with a 3-0 count Yordan took his customary strike right down the middle for a strike, and then took a low curve in the dirt to draw the walk. After the extremely disappointing first at bat, it was great to see Yordan adjust and take the same pitches he got there and turn it into a positive result. Despite the leadoff walk, he wouldn't score (the next three batters all popped out 💀), hopefully the Astros offense gets it going in this must win game.

At bat 3 (Top of sixth): 2 pitch single to right

Now facing reliever Adam Ottavino with no one on and two outs, Yordan took a customary cold strike watching on a fastball high in the zone. In my ALCS preview I believe I wrote that the key vs Ottavino would be to capitalize on hittable sliders in the zone, and this was proven clearly as Yordan swung hard at a slider high in the zone on the next pitch. It squirted past the infielders and into the outfield for a textbook clean single, great job by him to realize how the Red Sox were pitching him and take advantage of it. Unfortunately, he wouldn't score in a situation where the Astros absolutely needed a run, as Correa struck out to end the inning.

At bat 4 (Top of eighth): 4 pitch flyout to center

Badly needing runs and facing Garrett Whitlock, the most dangerous of Boston's relievers, Yordan actually did quite well considering his struggles so far in the ALCS. After swinging and missing at a fastball that Whitlock busted him high and inside on, Yordan took consecutive pitches outside, first another fastball inside and then an offspeed pitch low and away, to work into a favorable 2-1 count. He then got a really, really good swing on a fastball in the zone that Whitlock accidentally threw too close to the middle and launched it deep into center field. It just wasn't his day on this swing though, as he just barely was off on his swing, leading to a deep flyout instead of the tying run. Altuve did end up tying it with a solo home run later in the inning, so hopefully Yordan has a chance to score much needed runs in the 9th.

At bat 5 (Top of ninth): 1 pitch single to left, RBI, R

With the Astros lineup having come alive in a huge way in the 9th, scoring 4 runs by the time Yordan stepped up to the plate, he simply needed to keep the line moving and pound the nail into the coffin with two outs. He did exactly that, as on a first pitch fastball right down the middle from Martin Perez Yordan got a bit jammed but still got managed to YorBloop it into left field for an RBI single that scored Brantley and moved Bregman to second. While it wasn't the prettiest of hits, after the games he had in game 2 and 3 it was such a relief to see some luck going his way today. He would advance to third on an error and scored on a Kyle Tucker single, ending his (and the Astros) nights on a huge note to even the series.

​

While it wasn't pretty to look at times, Yordan had himself a solid game today, with several hard hit balls and some good luck resulting in a productive game at a time when the Astros needed everything they could get. Shout out to the bullpen for keeping things close until the offense got going, they've been huge today and will be extremely important going forwards. Having evened up the series, I expect Yordan to finally get it going in a pivotal game 5, hopefully he and the Astros both show up and take advantage of the Red Sox bullpen being exhausted today.