George Springer and José Altuve delivered big hits, Framber Valdéz pitched six brilliant innings and the Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the third straight time, 7-4 Friday to force a deciding Game 7 of the AL Championship Series. Despite blowing a 3-0 series lead, they remain one win from the second World Series in franchise history — and one loss from joining the 2004 Yankees in ignominy. Game 7 on Saturday night will feature the pitchers who started and finished Houston’s Game 7 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series. He has yet to win a World Series as a manager. As a player, he helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win four straight World Series games in 1981 after falling behind the New York Yankees 0-2.

Tampa Bay Rays' Brandon Lowe, left, celebrates with teammate Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, of Japan, after they scored on a two-run home run by Lowe during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Randy Arozarena homered twice and the Tampa Bay Rays clinched their first AL East title in 10 years Wednesday night with an 8-5 victory over the New York Mets. Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe also went deep for the Rays, who will be home at quirky Tropicana Field for a best-of-three first-round playoff series beginning next Tuesday. It is the third division crown in franchise history for the thrifty Rays, who also won the AL East in 2008 and 2010. The Rays (37-20) broke a 2-all tie in the sixth and took care of business themselves.