(Audacy) The Astros returned to the American League Championship Series with a 10-1 victory over the White Sox in Game 4 of their AL Division Series on Tuesday, but before the celebration could even begin, Houston shortstop Carlos Correa had some parting shots for Chicago reliever Ryan Tepera.
In a postgame television interview, Correra was asked by Fox Sports field reporter Tom Verducci if Tepera’s insinuation following the White Sox's victory in Game 3 that the Astros may be cheating again had an impact on his team heading into Game 4.
“Disrespectful words with no facts,” Correa said. “We scored six runs at home (in Game 1), then we scored nine (in Game 2) then six again here (in Game 3) — they happened to score 12 — then you look at our OPS on the road, it’s the best in the big leagues throughout a 162-game season, which we play anyone on the road," Correa said. "Their OPS was a lot higher at home than on the road.
“Just another kid who needs to know the facts -- or you know what he needs to do.”
After the Astros struck out 16 times in a 12-6 loss in Game 3, Tepera implied they had stolen signs in the first two games of the series.
“They play at Minute Maid and they’re doing something over there that’s a little different," Tepera said late Sunday. "It shows you how many swings and misses they had tonight compared to at Minute Maid. That’s why you have home-field advantage.
“It is what it is. They’ve obviously had a reputation of doing some sketchy stuff over there. It’s just, we can say that it’s a little bit of a difference.”
Tepera threw two scoreless innings in Game 3 and struck out three but didn't fare quite as well in Game 4 on Tuesday, allowing a run on a hit with no strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.
Meanwhile, Correa — who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk in the clincher — has never been shy about addressing any cheating allegations head-on in front of the camera, previously calling out the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger in spring training last year.
The Astros will meet the Red Sox in the ALCS — a rematch of sorts of the 2018 ALCS, which Boston won in five games, although the teams are much different this time around.
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