5 games that have defined the Yankees-Astros playoff rivalry as teams meet in another ALCS

For the third time in six years, the Yankees will take on the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series. For the Astros, it will be their sixth consecutive trip to the ALCS.

Previous postseason matchups have shaped the intensity between the Bombers and the ‘Stros. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman has even attributed his club’s World Series drought — have not appeared in the Fall Classic since 2009 — in part to the Astros cheating scandal.

Here are five key games that have defined this rivalry:

2015 AL WILD CARD GAME

Some would call this game a little foreshadowing for the drama to come between these two teams. The Yankees — prior to the ‘Baby Bombers’ era — welcomed a young and hungry Astros team to the Bronx for a do-or-die single-elimination game. The two teams had never met in the postseason before, however, Dallas Keuchel set the tone for an intense postseason rivalry.

The southpaw went six shutout innings recording seven strikeouts, shutting down a Yankee lineup that featured Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran with Masahiro Tanaka opposing him.

The Astros came out on top 3-0 at Yankee Stadium and would advance to the ALCS eventually falling to the Kansas City Royals who won the World Series by beating the Mets.

2017 ALCS GAME 2

Welcome to your official nightmare, said Justin Verlander. Not literally, however, but Verlander became an instant key part of this rivalry.

The big story for the Yanks was they passed on Verlander at the waiver trade deadline because Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner wanted to stay under the luxury tax threshold. Instead, they landed Sonny Gray from Oakland and Verlander went to Houston. The rest is history.

Verlander welcomed the Bombers with open arms throwing a complete game allowing just one run and racking up 13 strikeouts. This sent the series back to the Bronx with Houston owning a commanding 2-0 lead.

2017 ALCS GAME 4

The Empire strikes back. After a blowout victory in Game 3, the Yanks found themselves in a less-than-ideal situation in Game 4.

The Bombers trailed 4-0 in the bottom of the 7th inning. Their chances of making this a series looked poor as Keuchel — who threw seven shutout innings in Game 1 — was lined up to take the ball in Game 5

Aaron Judge opened up with a solo blast to center and the Yanks tacked on another on a Gary Sanchez sac fly to make it 4-2. The Yanks then added four runs in the bottom of the eighth, including Sanchez’s go-ahead opposite-field double that nearly brought Yankee Stadium to the ground.

The Bombers fought back and won the game 6-4, evening up the series at two games each. They would go on to win Game 5, but lose Games 6 and 7. The Astros ended up winning the World Series — the first in franchise history — and would have to apologize for doing so years later after their cheating scandal was uncovered.

2019 ALCS GAME 3

The Yanks met the ‘Stros again in the ALCS two years later. This time, the Bombers were able to steal a game in Houston and headed back to the Bronx with the series tied 1-1.

However, there was a big problem standing in their way: Gerrit Cole.

The right-hander was having a career year in his contract season and walked into Yankee Stadium determined to prove his worth.

Cole dominated through seven shutout innings recording seven strikeouts and likely helped earn himself the $324 million payday from the Yankees months later.

The Astros would win the Game 4-1 and take a 2-1 series lead.

2019 ALCS GAME 6

Nothing would be the same after this game. The Yankees were trailing in the series 3-2 and found themselves down two runs in the top of the ninth inning.

With two outs in stepped DJ LeMahieu who was an absolute revelation for the Bombers that season. LeMahieu popped a two-run game-tying home run while the Yanks were down to their final out. There was just one problem.

They didn’t have the lead.

Jose Altuve smashed a walk-off home run off of Aroldis Chapman to send the Astros back to the World Series. As he was rounded third, Altuve was seen telling teammates not to rip off his shirt. Ken Rosenthal asked him after the game why he didn’t want his shirt ripped off and Altuve simply said he was shy.

Allegations about Altuve wearing a buzzer to relay what pitch was coming from Chapman came about and eventually the entire 2017 garbage can cheating scandal was uncovered thanks in large part to the suspicion of that home run.