Yankees suffocate in stunning loss to Astros, Jose Altuve

HOUSTON – Jose Altuve got the Yankees again.

The Yankees finished the first half of the season with a disastrous 8-7 loss at Minute Maid Park, as Domingo German and Chad Green lost a five-point lead in the ninth, with Altuve ending it with three winning points. Homer.

The German allowed the first two hitters in the ninth to reach him and Green gave Chas McCormick a two-point brace to make it 7-4.

Abraham Toro followed with a right shot that Aaron Judge was unable to pursue for an RBI brace to reduce the Yankees’ lead to two points.

After a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, hitter Jason Castro scored a center single, moving Toro to third.

Green got Martin Maldonado on a soft liner to bypass the first out.

Altuve, who reportedly wouldn’t let his teammates rip his jersey off after beating the Yankees in the 2019 ALCS, then slammed a home run and his teammates ripped his jersey off after crossing the plate.

Earlier, Maldonado hit a home run in the third and pulled on his jersey – mimicking the judge’s mockery of Altuve after his home run on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Astros had the last laugh.

Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer, but it wasn’t enough.