WATCH: Alvarez hits walk-off home run to complete Astros' comeback originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Yordan Alvarez is ready for the moment.
When the Houston Astros needed their superstar the most, the 25-year-old slugger blasted a two-out, three-run home run to give his team an 8-7 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 1 of the ALDS.
It wasn't a cheap shot, either: It traveled 438 feet into the Minute Maid Park faithful.
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The Mariners led 7-3 in the eighth inning, appearing poised to steal Game 1 against their division rivals on the road. But it all fell apart in the final two frames.
In the eighth, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 7-5.
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For the final inning, Mariners manager Scott Servais turned to reliever Paul Sewald to close it out. He retired two of the first three batters, but let David Hensley reach base after hitting him with a pitch. Then, rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña knocked a two-strike pitch to center field for a single to send Alvarez to the dish.
At that point, Sewald's night was done. Servais turned to lefty starter Robbie Ray -- who allowed four runs in three innings against the Blue Jays on Saturday in Toronto -- as the manager hoped for a favorable left-on-left matchup. But on Ray's second pitch of the game, Alvarez delivered the damaging blow.
It was the fourth postseason home run in Alvarez's young career. He had a career-high 37 dingers in the regular season.
The Astros have reached the ALCS in five straight seasons, and they're now just two wins away from extending that streak to six. Game 2 of the series is set for Thursday, Oct. 13 at 3:37 p.m. ET in Houston.
