Fred Faour: Astros do what they do. They just win, even if it took 18 innings. On to the next challenge

We have talked about the little things the Astros do to win games. But the reality? They are just better than the teams they play. That doesn’t mean they always win. But teams have to play their best to beat Houston. The Mariners played their best in this series, but they still got swept three games to none. The Astros won 1-0 in 18 innings Saturday because that is what they do.

They were the better team all day. They had the most chances. And they finally broke through with a 1-0 win in the 18th when that guy – Jeremy Pena, hit a huge home run. As much as Yordan Alvarez was the big dog in the series, Pena was clutch when it counted.

Their bullpen was incredible. Seven relievers followed Lance McCullers and did not allow a run. Luis Garcia pitched five strong innings for the win. It really doesn’t matter. The Astros just do their thing. And Pena made it happen.

And the real competition?

The Yankees? Who knows. They will be next if they can conquer the Guardians. The Braves are gone. The Dodgers are in trouble. The Astros? They took care of business.

That’s what they do.

This is why the Astros are World Series favorites. They just win. On Saturday, they had every chance. They did not break through until the 18th. But they did. Because that is what they do.

And it happened thanks to Pena to close out the series. On to the next challenge.