SYN TV by By John Harper 10/15/2019
Even not at his best, Cole pitched 7 scoreless in Game 3Your mission, Yankees, should you choose to accept it, is now to win three straight games or at best be doomed to facing Gerrit Cole in Game 7, which is pretty much a death sentence these days.
Ok, choose isn't exactly the right word, since the Astros are going to have plenty to say about the Yankees getting on any type of roll in this ALCS, and obviously Justin Verlander would be no picnic in Game 6 as well.
But Cole is on another level right now, and here's the thing: He wasn't particularly sharp even while throwing seven shutout innings in Tuesday's 4-1 win, admittedly struggling with his command until finding a feel for his curve ball around the fifth.
To the point where Cole, after the game, twice said the last words the Yankees want to hear:
"I'm confident I'll be better next time."
He said it so matter-of-factly that you couldn't help thinking it was more belief than bravado.
As it is, Cole has allowed exactly one run in his three postseason starts this October, while racking up 32 strikeouts in 22.2 innings, including seven on Tuesday. Furthermore, he hasn't lost a decision since May 22, and the Astros haven't lost a game he has started since July 12th.
All of which means he looms over this series now the way another Astros' starter, Mike Scott, once did in 1986, when the Mets regarded Game 6 of the NLCS as a must-win because they knew they sure as heck weren't beating Scott if it went to Game 7.
At the moment the Yankees would just love the opportunity to close it out in six, since they trail 2-1 in the series and need to win the next two games to have that chance.
Can they do it?
More:
https://www.sny.tv/yankees/news/with-gerrit-cole-looming-in-potential-alcs-game-7-yankees-best-bet-is-winning-three-straight/311177328
