HOUSTON — Yordan Álvarez was the hero of Game 1 of the American League Division Series, belting a two-out, three-run home run to give Houston a dramatic 8-7 win.
While Álvarez is a superstar on the field, he showed he’s a hero off it, too.
The Astros slugger met up with Dillon Harrell Thursday morning, the fan who came away that dramatic home run ball, outside Minute Maid Park and signed it. Álvarez also put his signature on Harrell’s jersey, one bearing Alvarez’s name on the back.
“That’s some wild stuff right there," Harrell said. "I never thought he’d just walk up."
Harrell, a lifelong Astros fan, was surprised with tickets to Game 1 of the ALDS for his birthday. And if anything can top those birthday tickets, it may have been meeting the man who sent Astros fans into a frenzy and gave the team a 1-0 lead in their ALDS series with Seattle.
Harrell said while he's had a lot of great Astros memories, the one he made Thursday morning tops the list.
“That’s something I’ll never forget,” Harrell said. “That’s a memory of a lifetime.”
Game 2 of the best-of-five series between the Astros and Mariners continues Thursday before it moves up to Seattle this weekend.