Astros' Springer: 3B coach is 'out of his mind' for sending Altuve on winning run
The Houston Astros third base coach Gary Pettis might just be a mad genius of base running.
On the final play of Game 2 in the American League Championship Series, the Astros were lifted to a walk-off victory on a one-out double from Carlos Correa, during which Jose Altuve improbably scored from first base.
It was an aggressive send from Pettis at third and a remarkably close play at the plate, in which Altuve could have been tagged out had Gary Sanchez received the throw cleanly.
"Gary's (Pettis) out of his mind," Astros outfielder George Springer told Jane Lee of MLB.com. "I love it."
It's a play that could have backfired for the Astros but is a huge piece of Houston's 2-1 victory in Game 2.
Following the game, Sanchez was open about his role in the losing play.
"The bottom line is, if I catch that ball, he's going to be out there," the New York Yankees catcher told Pete Caldera of North Jersey.com through an interpreter. "I dropped the ball."
The Astros sealed a 2-0 lead in the ALCS on Saturday with the series heading to New York for the next three games.