Astros' Jeremy Peña Touted as Clutch After 18th-Inning HR Eliminates Mariners

Erin WalshOctober 16, 2022

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 15: Jeremy Pena #3 of the Houston Astros reacts after hitting a solo home run during the eighteenth inning against the Seattle Mariners in game three of the American League Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Houston Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners 1-0 in a marathon of a game on Saturday at T-Mobile Park to punch their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the sixth straight season.

Astros rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña broke the ice in the 18th inning of a scoreless game when he hit a solo home run off Mariners reliever Penn Murfee to put Houston up 1-0. The Mariners couldn't respond in the bottom half of the inning, ending a game that lasted nearly six-and-a-half hours.

MLB @MLB
JEREMY PEÑA BREAKS THE ICE IN THE 18TH! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/postseason?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#postseason</a> <a href="https://t.co/4EkefQ91U3">pic.twitter.com/4EkefQ91U3</a>

Peña finished the ALDS hitting .250/.294/.500 with one home run and one RBI on four hits in 16 at-bats across three games. Fans touted him as "clutch" following Houston's Game 3 victory:

Michael Shapiro @mshap2
Jeremy Peña, clutch.<br><br>1-0 Astros, bottom 18.

AwkwardEric @DeTrinidadJames
Who needs Carlos Correa when Jeremy Peña is clutch for the Astros

Brant @brantdubs
Jeremy Peña is just a likeable Carlos Correa. Clutch factor and all

Maanav Gupta @MGSportsTalk
WE DONT NEED CORREA. JEREMY PEÑA HAS OCTOBER CLUTCH MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

JRoff @MrRunGoodRoff
Jeremy Peña clutch homer! 😍😍😍 Julio Rodriguez watches it sail into the stands, it’s our rookie’s time to shine.

Pancho 🌮 @AFloresGto
Jeremy Peña IS THAT GUY!

Luke Foley @lflonghornfan
Jeremy Peña is my ALDS MVP. He put the Astros in position to win every game.

krissy @kristenbarba
jeremy peña is HIM

Jackson Gatlin @JTGatlin
Jeremy Peña and the Astros bullpen delivered us a huge dub. Insane game.

Jackson @ForeverStros
JEREMY PEÑA. THE BEST PLAYER IN HOUSTON ASTROS HISTORY.

Peña has been one of the best rookies in baseball all season long and should be in contention for the AL Rookie of the Year award. He entered the postseason having hit .253/.289/.426 with 22 home runs, 63 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 136 regular-season games.

Saturday's game between the Astros and Mariners was the first game in MLB postseason history to be scoreless through 15-plus innings, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. It was also just the fifth postseason game to go more than 16 innings.

The Astros will move on to face the winner of the New York Yankees-Cleveland Guardians series in the ALCS. Game 1 will kick off at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Wednesday.

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