The Yankees and Astros are on a roll. Unfortunately for the Astros, they're heading in opposite directions.
Today they meet on the diamond in the Bronx for the finale to their four game series with the Yankees on an eight-game winning streak, and the Astros on a seven-game losing streak.
Justin Verlander will pitch today under pressure. The Yankees are going for their 26th straight game hitting a home run, which would set a team record. Verlander hopes they fail.
"Just a lot of capable guys," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "You've seen our depth. You've seen a lot of guys step up and I think as a group they do a really good job of making it difficult on the pitcher -- even when he's having his way with us a time or two through the order. I think guys have been really disciplined and focused on the approach and the plan as a group, and it's allowed us to consistently score runs."
The Astros are 4-for-30 with runners in scoring position in the series.
"You feel a little snakebitten when everything seems to have to be perfect for us to piece it together," Houston manager AJ Hinch said. "We played together today offensively. We made a couple of mistakes on defense that are unlike us. There's some frustrations that (are) building just because losing it (stinks) and we're not putting things together for an entire game to get a win."
Verlander is 7-7 with a 3.54 ERA in 21 regular-season starts against the Yankees. Including two wins over the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS,