The China Mail - Astros, Yankees, Phillies and Dodgers win MLB series openers

The dramatic game-winning blast came after the visiting Mariners had seized a four-run lead through seven innings and the Astros were down to their last strike in the ninth.

"Very happy. This moment means a lot to me," the Cuban-born slugger said through a translator. "It feels great to hit this homer. Very special."

Houston seized a 1-0 lead over Seattle in the best-of-five American League division series, which continues Thursday.

In the other AL division series opener, Anthony Rizzo and Harrison Bader smacked homers to power the host New York Yankees over the Cleveland Guardians 4-1.

In the National League division series openers, Nick Castellanos drove in three runs and made a key catch late as visiting Philadelphia edged reigning World Series champion Atlanta 7-6 while the Los Angeles Dodgers beat visiting San Diego 5-3.

At Houston, solo homers by Eugenio Suarez and J.P. Crawford helped Seattle take a 7-3 lead.

Alex Bregman belted a two-run homer in the eighth to lift the Astros within 7-5, and Houston's rally began in the ninth when Mariners reliever Paul Sewald hit David Hensley with a one-out pitch.

Sewald struck out Jose Altuve, but Jeremy Pena -- down to his last strike -- singled up the middle to bring Alvarez to the plate.

Seattle left-handed starting pitcher Robbie Ray, last year's Cy Young Award winner as best AL pitcher, then entered.

Alvarez fouled off Ray's first offering but knocked the next over the right-field wall, sending the crowd into a frenzy and setting off a rowdy celebration by the Astros.

"I was just going up there to make good contact with the ball and be aggressive," Alvarez said.

"We all know what we're capable of. Nobody can fall asleep on us. They all know we can get it done. And we did."

At New York, Cleveland's Steven Kwan and Bader each hit solo homers in the third but the Yankees took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled, reached third on a two-base error by Cleveland outfielder Oscar Gonzalez and scored on Jose Trevino's sacrifice fly.

Rizzo added a two-run homer in the sixth to create the final margin.

"A great win for us," Rizzo said.

Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole struck out eight and allowed only one run on four hits over 6 1/3 innings.

- Atlanta rally fails -

In Atlanta, Castellanos and Bryce Harper each had three hits as the Phillies held off a Braves comeback bid.

Castellanos singled in a run in the first and added a two-run single in the fourth as Philadelphia led 7-1.

Atlanta battled back on Travis d'Arnaud's two-run double and pulled within the final margin on Matt Olson's three-run homer with one out in the ninth.

William Contreras then smacked a sinking fly ball to right field, but Castellanos made a tricky diving catch to register the penultimate out and snuff the rally.

"Do anything I could to not let it hit the ground," Castellanos said of his thoughts. "I saw him hit it. And it was just going towards me and I ran and caught it as best I could.

"They had a big point in the game right there, so to be able to catch that and have two outs and nobody on base was huge."

At Los Angeles, Trea Turner's solo homer and Max Muncy's run-scoring single in the first put the Dodgers ahead to stay.

Will Smith and Gavin Lux each doubled to drive in a run and Muncy scored on an error in the third for LA but San Diego's Wil Myers smacked a solo homer in the fifth while Trent Grisham and Austin Nola drove in runs on outs to create the final margin.

"It was a total team win," Turner said. "There's still a lot of baseball left."

D.Wang--ThChM