Astros open ALDS with energy, then Altuve joins Babe Ruth with three HRs

The Astros jumped the Red Sox Thursday afternoon in game one of the American League Divisional Series, and they didn’t wait until the first pitch to get fired up.

The real fireworks came later.

Houston starter Justin Verlander went six innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. While he wasn’t super sharp, he left with a 5-2 lead that only grew after second baseman Jose Altuve hit his third home run to become the ninth player in Major League Baseball history to homer three times in a postseason game.

Former Yankees slugger Babe Ruth did it twice.

Altuve’s first two bombs in Minute Maid Park landed in nearly the same spot in left-center field.

Altuve’s standing plenty tall enough.