Astros bats overwhelm A's to reach ALCS for 4th straight year

The Houston Astros clubbed the Oakland Athletics 11-6 on Thursday to advance to the American League Championship Series once again.

Houston becomes the fifth team to reach four consecutive Championship Series, joining the A's (1971-75), Atlanta Braves (1991-99), New York Yankees (1998-01), and St. Louis Cardinals (2011-14), according to Jake Kaplan of The Athletic.

Michael Brantley hit a pair of home runs and shortstop Carlos Correa went 3-for-4 with five RBIs en route to the victory. When Correa uncorked a go-ahead, three-run blast in the fourth, he knew he got all of it and flipped his bat with gusto.

Twenty-four home runs were slugged between the two teams over the four contests, a new record for any series lasting five games or fewer, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Both teams hit 12 round-trippers in the series.

Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano did his part to keep Oakland alive Thursday by mashing two homers, including a three-run shot off Astros starter Zack Greinke to take an early lead.

Houston went 29-31 in the regular season and is now the first team to reach the Championship Series after posting a losing record.

The Astros will face either the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS, which begins Sunday in San Diego.