• Astros take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Major League Baseball postseason series.
• Game two was postponed due to bad weather in New York on Thursday.
• The game between the Yankees and the Guardians will now be played on Friday.

The Houston Astros trounced the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Thursday to establish a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Major League Baseball postseason series.

Alvarez, who broke Seattle’s hearts with a walk-off, three-run home run in game one on Tuesday, enthralled Houston’s home audience at Minute Maid Park once more.

In the sixth inning, the 25-year-old Cuban slugger hit a two-run home run off starter Luis Castillo into the left field seats to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 advantage.

This 371-foot home run altered the game’s momentum and ultimately laid the stage for the Astros’ victory. The Astros are seeking their fourth World Series berth in six seasons since their 2017 championship.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman singled to right field to score Jeremy Pena for an insurance run.

The Astros require only one victory from the final three games of the American League Division Series to progress to the AL Championship Series against either the Cleveland Indians or the New York Yankees.

Kyle Tucker’s home run against Castillo in the right field gave the Astros the lead in the second inning.

Eugenio Suarez scored in the top of the fourth after Carlos Santana reached on a fielder’s choice for Seattle.

Then, Seattle right fielder Dylan Moore singled to score Mitch Haniger and give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

On Saturday, the series shifts to Seattle for game three.

The game between the Yankees and the Guardians was postponed due to bad weather in New York on Thursday.

MLB announced in a statement that game two of the series, which the Yankees currently lead 1-0, will take place on Friday.

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