This one had no business being a laugher and it wasn't. The Astros and Yankees spent 3-plus hours launching baseballs into the New York night, and by the time it was over Houston had escaped with a 9-7 win built almost entirely on the long ball.
Cody Bellinger got the party started with a 3-run blast, his 12th of the season, that briefly had the Yankees on top. Eric Hubbs summed up the reaction in real time.
So that's what that feels like... A real life baseball player who can hit
Houston didn't blink. Luis Garcia Jr. answered with a 2-run shot of his own, his 27th homer of the year, and Hubbs was back with jokes about Garcia's leisurely home run trot.
If Luis Garcia Jr. is taking a stroll to first we're going around all of the bases
The back-and-forth kept coming. Jeremy Peña tied the game again with his 15th homer of the season, and Barstool Baseball's account was live for it.
JEREMY PEÑA TIES IT
It was Yordan Alvarez who finally broke the stalemate for good, ripping a go-ahead RBI triple to right-center in the top of the 8th to put Houston in front for the last time. Fans on the timeline were left asking what the reigning slugger can't do.
What can’t Yordan do
Houston closer Josh Hader slammed the door to finish it off, and the Astros walked out of the Bronx with a statement win in what's become a full-blown slugfest of a series. Four different names went deep in this one, and every one of them is a reason either club still has a real shot down the stretch.