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ALCS Game Two: New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros: James Paxton vs. Justin Verlander

The Yankees can make a huge statement with a win tonight.

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League Championship Series - New York Yankees v Houston Astros - Game One Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Game One of the ALCS couldn’t have gone any better for the Yankees. Masahiro Tanaka pitched great, the bats pummeled the Astros’ pitching, and the Yankees made their presence felt on the road with their first playoff win at Minute Maid Park in team history.

The Yankees will need a similar show of dominance tonight, as James Paxton will take on Justin Verlander in Game Two of the ALCS. The Yankees are looking to return home to the Bronx up 2-0 in the series.

Paxton will be making just his second postseason start, although his first one against the Twins was generally solid. He struck out eight batters while giving up three runs, but he didn’t complete five innings and left the game with the score tied. After an exceptional second half, the Yankees will need that version of Paxton to show up tonight against a hungry Houston lineup looking for revenge.

Meanwhile, the Astros will turn to their old reliable starter, Justin Verlander, desperately needing a win. Verlander has beaten the Yankees in the playoffs several times before, including twice in the 2017 ALCS. However, he took a loss in Game Four of the ALDS against Tampa Bay while pitching on short rest. Verlander is still a Cy Young-caliber pitcher at age 36, and comes into tonight’s action with a career 4-0 postseason record against the Yankees.

Lineups:

How to watch:

Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

First pitch: 8:08 p.m. EDT

TV broadcast: FS1

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM

Online Stream: FuboTV, MLB.TV

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