Dusty Baker & Michael Brantley Put The MLBbros In Control| Baker’s Boys Go Up 1-0 In ALDS

Dusty Baker’s quest to win that elusive first world championship couldn’t have started in better fashion as the Houston Astros put the squeeze on the Chicago White Sox in game one of the American Division Series at Minute Maid Park.

H-Town’s fabulous Baker boys played rough with Chicago starter Lance Lynn and Dusty’s decision to start Lance McCullers paid dividends in their 6-1 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the best of five series that continues Friday in H-Town.

MLBbro Making A Difference 

Michael Brantley was a catalyst to the premature departure of Lynn. He went 2-for-4 and sent  Lynn to the showers early by taking him down in the fourth inning.

Brantley’s two RBI single busted the game wide open in the fourth inning. The all-star outfielder laced a shot up the middle for a base hit that scored Jake Meyers and Jose Altuve’ which basically put the game on ice at 5-0.

Small Ball Is Real Baseball

The Astros started playing the hits in the third inning by resorting to their National League roots.

Despite being a prolific power hitting team they played station to station ball to open their lead.

Brantley’s base hit will be remembered as the final blow to Lynn’s evening, but his sacrifice bunt after Altuve walked helped lead to a wild pitch.

Alex Bregman then hit a grounder to third and Yoan Moncada decided to throw home but it was too late to get Altuve.

Suddenly the Astros had a 2-0 lead which felt larger than it was. Alvarez, the next batter, blasted a double off the wall in left-center that scored Bregman.

By the fourth inning there was no questioning the decision of which manager made the best decision who would be on the mound to start  in game one.

Dusty Wins Round 1 In Battle Of OGs

White Sox manager Tony LaRussa made the choice to roll with experience instead of youth.  He gambled and lost this time. 

The Hall of Fame manager – who returned to the franchise that he first led to the playoffs in 1983 – opened the festivities by giving Lance Lynn the start which was a head scratcher to some especially when it didn’t work.

That decision made Baker’s life easier as Houston’s offense kept the pressure on the White Sox during what has to be considered a disappointing start by Lance Lynn.

Lynn, 34, who got the start ahead of the 27-year-old Lucas Giolito, had trouble with his location.

Giolito had been the most consistent starter during the second half of the season. Now he has the task of facing trying to deliver a clutch performance so they don’t head back to the southside of Chicago down 2-0 this weekend.

Houston Hitters Grind 

Meanwhile, Houston batters showed patience and were masterful at spraying the ball over the field. They were poised like their manager who is looking for 10 more wins this season to make history.