HOUSTON — James Paxton had only allowed one run when manager Aaron Boone motioned to the bullpen to summon Chad Green in the bottom of the third in Game 2 of the ALCS.
Paxton, who started Game 1 of the ALDS for the Yankees against Minnesota, and pitched as well as anyone in the league for much of the second half of the season, had a succinct reaction when he saw his manager coming to get him: “Crap.”
It was Paxton’s second straight shaky postseason start. He gave up four hits in 2¹/u2083 innings to put the Yankees in a 1-0 hole to the Astros before the bullpen took over at Minute Maid Park in what became a 3-2, 11-inning loss Sunday to even the series at one game each.