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BOB NIGHTENGALE
World Series

Mother Nature deals a body blow to the Yankees’ World Series hopes

NEW YORK -- If the New York Yankees don’t have enough problems with the Houston Astros, they took a body blow Wednesday from Mother Nature, and suddenly are in real trouble.

The Yankees, down 2 games to 1 in the American League Championship Series, may not even be able to return the series back to Houston.

The rain that postponed Game 4, pushing it back to Thursday, creates the potential of having to play four consecutive games without an off-day.

For a team that is built to win on the strength of their bullpen, there now is a huge pothole on their road to the World Series.

And if the Yankees don’t have enough worries trying to figure out their pitching strategy, look who’s lined up for the Astros:

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  • Game 4: Former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, who went 18-5 with a 2.93 this season.
  • Game 5: Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander, who went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA.
  • Game 7: And Gerrit Cole, who is now 19-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his last 25 starts.

Certainly, anything and everything is possible in the game of baseball, but right now, you may want to beat the rush and grab those Washington, D.C. to Houston round-trip flights for the World Series.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone makes a call to the bullpen.

The Yankees, who haven’t had a pitcher last eight innings in a postseason game since CC Sabathia in 2012, suddenly have no choice but to abruptly change their strategy.

They haven’t had a reliever pitch three consecutive days the entire season, and only closer Aroldis Chapman has done it in the past two years.

Now, they may need someone to go all four games.

“I'm certainly open to them running out there every day,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “but it's something that's kind of always fluid with the different individual pitchers and how they're able to bounce back.’’

If the Yankee starters can go deep and provide innings, it will not only alleviate the stress of the bullpen, much reduce Boone’s blood pressure from having to mix and match relievers for nearly half of the game.

The only Yankees’ starter to last longer than five innings since 2012 has been Masahiro Tanaka, who went six innings in the Yankees’ 7-0 victory in Game 1. He will pitch Game 4 on regular rest with James Paxton scheduled for Game 5 on Friday.

“We’re going to have to get some innings out of our starters, there’s no question about it,’’ Boone says. “Obviously, Masa is coming off a real good start in Game 1, so between him and Paxton these next two days, they’re going to need to give us some innings if we’re going to be successful."

The Yankees rotation has thrown just 26 ⅓ innings this postseason -- two fewer innings than the bullpen.

The Astros’ starters, meanwhile, have gone at least seven innings in all but two of their eight playoff games.

It may have been fine for the Yankees in the regular season, but after needing to get nine outs in Game 1, 26 outs in Game 2 and 14 outs in Game 3, the vaunted bullpen suddenly is showing cracks.

“The more you see a pitcher the better,’’ Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, “whether it's in one game or playing a team over and over. The more you see them the more beneficial it is. It doesn't make it easier to hit elite, but it does give some comfort to the hitter as you continue to mount at-bats against the guy."

It certainly has taken its toll on Adam Ottavino, who has been used in all six of the Yankees’ postseason games. He has faced 18 batters; 10 have reached base. He has given up six hits and three runs in just 2 ⅓ innings, resulting in an 11.57 ERA.

“I still think he's got to play an important role for us,’’ Boone said, “especially against this Houston lineup. A lot of their great players are right-handed hitters. And just the way we're built and set up, he's going to have to still get important outs for us. I still feel like he's capable of that."

We’ll soon find out whether Boone has the same confidence in him.

Maybe, Ottavino’s struggles will lead to Boone letting his starters go longer, and not being so aggressive with his bullpen moves. He can’t afford to live dangerously by staying with a starter too long, and sacrificing a game, but if they’re going to have any chance to win this series, someone is going to have last longer than the beer vendors in the stands.

“If we're going to win this series, our bullpen will still play a huge role, obviously,’’ Boone said. “But we've got to be able to get a little bit of distance out of our starters probably if we're going to ultimately be successful in these next several games.

“So, that’s the balance you've got to try and strike. We’ll do it the best we can.’’

And, as for the Astros, well, Hinch can sit back, put his feet up, and do it the old-fashioned way.

Watch his starters go deep into the game, turn to the bullpen in the late innings, and then turn out the lights.

It has worked for 114 victories this season, so no need to get cute with the formula now.

He knows that for the Yankees to reach the World Series for the first time in 10 years, they will have to three times in the next four days.

“I like our chances,’’ Astros outfielder Josh Reddick said. “I’d love to close it out right here.’’

That rain falling from the skies in New York may soon be champagne dripping from the ceiling in the Astros’ clubhouse.

Follow Nightengale on Twitter @Bnightengale

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