(SportsRadio 610) - The Astros took a 1-0 lead over the Yankees in the ALCS without major contributions from their biggest bats.
It was the strength of the bottom of their order and an insurance home run by two-hole hitter, rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña, that propelled Houston over New York in game one at Minute Maid Park.
Martin Maldonado's RBI double in the second inning tied the game at one run apiece. Yuli Gurriel and Chas McCormick hit solo shots in the sixth inning to give Houston the lead. Then there was Peña's solo homer in the seventh for good measure.
"I would say that's what makes us so good. We pick each other up on any given night," Peña said after the Astros took a 1-0 lead in the ALCS on Wednesday night. "Sometimes when we don't put together quality at-bats our pitchers carry us. And when they don't have their day on the mound we carry them with the lineup. As I said, that's what makes us a great team.
The rookie is having an incredible postseason, whether it be as a table setter for Yordan Alvarez, or showing his own power like he did to win game three of the ALDS and to punctuate game one of the ALCS.
Peña is slashing .350/.381/.800 for a 1.181 OPS and two homers in four postseason games so far.
One key element to his offensive success he talked about Wednesday night is the adjustment to his batting stance, giving himself more time to make decisions at the plate.
"So having the foot on the ground early is just eliminating a step in my swing," Peña said. "I felt like before I was trying to read the pitch as my leg was in the air. And then when I told myself to swing, then I had to find the ground and then start to swing.
"But having the foot down early is just eliminating that step and now I have more time to make my decision."