CLEVELAND (AP) — When the challenge arose in August [url=http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-tony-gwynn-jersey]http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-tony-gwynn-jersey[/url] , the Houston Astros responded like champions.They’re doing it again in October.Two months ago, last year’s World Series winners hit one of those predictable lulls that every team encounters during the dog days of a season. Maybe feeling a bit overconfident and invincible, the Astros were caught atop the AL West by the Oakland Athletics, a scrappy squad that sneaked up on everyone in 2018.But just when it appeared the Astros might be in some trouble, they switched on their after-burners. After Aug. 18, Houston went 29-10 to finish with 103 wins.“There is an extra gear that our guys have,” explained manager A.J. Hinch. “And once we hit the postseason, it looks like, as of right now, our guys really, really turned it on.”Showing no weaknesses while exposing Cleveland’s flaws at every opportunity, the Astros took another step toward defending their crown Monday by finishing off a surprisingly easy three-game AL Division Series sweep with an 11-3 blowout of the Indians, who were overmatched on the mound, at the plate and in the field.Houston outscored Cleveland 21-6. The Astros outhit the Indians .327 to .144 and banged out eight homers with making an error.“They beat us in every area of the game,” said Indians reliever Trevor Bauer, whose two throwing errors in the seventh inning of Game 3 propelled Houston’s convincing clincher. “They’re tough, man. They keep coming. We didn’t play our best. I’m not sure if they played their best either, but they played much better than we did. And so, the better team won.”The Astros, who have some time to relax and get ready for the Boston-New York series survivor in the ALCS, can win in so many different ways.They have one of baseball’s best rotations [url=http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-dave-winfield-jersey]http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-dave-winfield-jersey[/url] , anchored by Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, a devastating 1-2 pitching punch that staggered the Indians in Houston. The Astros can play long ball, small ball and any kind of ball needed with a balanced lineup loaded with contact hitters.Sure, they’ve got All-Stars in Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, but the Astros are a selfless group that plays as one.“We have the most complete team in baseball,” Verlander said between puffs on a cigar as his teammates showered each other with champagne in the clubhouse. “I’ve been part of really special teams, but the drive to win here trumps everything else. Everybody is OK with whoever is the hero.”It was Verlander in Game 1, Marwin Gonzalez in Game 2, and George Springer was among a number of deserving candidates with two homers in Game 3.Springer has found his groove at just the right time. The 2017 World Series MVP was sidelined by a sprained left thumb that landed him on the disabled list in August. He struggled after returning and connected on just three homers over the final six weeks of the regular season.The postseason is his playground.Springer hit three homers in the final two ALDS game, giving him a franchise record 10 postseason homers.“I said this to our team in there — special teams do special things in October,” Hinch said. “And I believe that about players. George is one of them. We’ve seen him come up as an uber-prospect, produce at an uncanny level, hit the lowest of the lows in the World Series and then be the World Series MVP.“I don’t think this should surprise anyone. He’s a really special player.”On a really special team.Before his team was pushed aside by the Astros, Indians manager Terry Francona sat at his office desk and described what makes them so good.“Well, besides the talent, because they are obviously really talented, I do think they do a really good job of playing until the game’s over,” he said. “Like it’s been noticeable for a while. You know some times, like I think I said this the other day, when you beat them, sometimes they just run out of time.“You gotta have talent [url=http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-rollie-fingers-jersey]Rollie Fingers Jersey[/url] , but when you have talent and you play the game the right way, so that’s why they have a lot of ways to come at you.”Oddly, the Astros seem to get overlooked, lost deep in the heart of Texas amid the endless debate about whether the Yankees or Red Sox are the league’s best.Houston makes its case on the field.“That’s a big-time rivalry and I understand that,” Springer said, adding the Astros aren’t craving publicity. “But it’s all about us and our task at hand. That’s all we focus on. We’re going to sit back and watch and see what happens.”While he watched his young teammates party after another postseason triumph, Verlander looked like a proud father. He arrived last season to help the Astros get over the hump, and now that they have, there’s no going backward.“At no point this season was there any complacency with this team,” he said. “If I had been traded here after they won the World Series, instead of before it last year, I would have assumed this was a young and hungry team when I walked in the clubhouse.“No one takes anything for granted here. That’s the DNA of the guys in this clubhouse. This team has a propensity to do big things in big spots.” MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As he inched closer to a no-hitter, Jake Odorizzi was ready to throw 140 pitches if needed. He was nearing his career high against the New York Yankees, but was confident he could talk Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor into leaving him in for the ninth inning if it got to that point.Odorizzi never made it that far.His no-hit bid was broken up when Greg Bird laced a run-scoring double with one out in the eighth, and the Twins beat the Yankees 3-1 Wednesday night to take two of three from New York.The Yankees’ lead over Oakland for the top AL wild card was cut to one game as they completed a 4-5 trip.A tiring Odorizzi walked Luke Voit before Bird lined the next pitch deep into the left-center gap. Odorizzi was immediately pulled and he tipped his cap to the crowd as he walked off to a standing ovation.“It’s been a tough year. There’s no if ands or buts about it,” Odorizzi said. “So it’s good to have one of these outings toward the end, feel the energy, show them kind of what I’m capable of doing.”Odorizzi (6-10) struck out five and walked three, matching his big league high of 120 pitches set while pitching for Tampa Bay against the Twins on June 3, 2016.There was no hesitation on Molitor’s part as he went to take out his starter after Odorizzi finally allowed a hit in the eighth. Odorizzi needed just seven pitches to get through the seventh, but that brought his pitch count to 109 entering the eighth.“It was a good kind of stress for me [url=http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-randy-jones-jersey]http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-randy-jones-jersey[/url] , trying to negotiate with Jake in between innings,” Molitor said. “No one wants to see anyone get hurt, but he’s a veteran. He said he felt great, and I know he would be smart about trying to find ways to take it a pitch at a time, a hitter at a time.”Taylor Rogers relieved Odorizzi and promptly struck out Gleyber Torres before Trevor Hildenberger fanned Andrew McCutchen. Hildenberger finished for his sixth save.Luis Severino (17-8) allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 3-6 in his last 11 starts. Severino unsuccessfully tried to persuade manager Aaron Boone to keep him in the game in the sixth.“He wanted to stay in the game. I’m fine with my guys wanting to stay in the game,” Boone said. “He was very pitch efficient. Obviously it wasn’t a pitch count issue, it was just starting to get a little away and he’s in the fight right now. I respect the hell out of that.”Severino permitted one hit in the first five innings, then gave up a one-out single to Max Kepler in the sixth followed by Ehire Adrianza’s go-ahead double.Joe Mauer’s single put runners at the corners, Jorge Polanco struck out on a wild pitch that advanced Mauer, and David Robertson relieved and retired Eddie Rosario on a groundout.“My confidence is always up,” said Severino, tagged with the loss in consecutive starts. “I’ve had some struggles but that’s nothing I can’t fix. So I was going to go give 110 percent and compete for my team.”Minnesota opened a 3-0 lead in the seventh when Willians Astudillo hit an RBI single and scored on Kepler’s double.Twins catcher Mitch Garver was removed after two innings. He took a foul tip to the mask in the second, and the team said initial tests did not indicate a concussion.TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman could return next week from nearly a month on the disabled list. Chapman has not pitched since Aug. 21 because of left knee tendinitis, which has bothered him throughout the season. The 30-year-old left-hander threw a bullpen Wednesday and was to return to New York for treatment. Boone anticipates another bullpen session this weekend, then a return.Twins: 3B Miguel Sano (left leg) said he hopes to play again before the end of the season. “I want to finish strong,” he said. Sano was hurt last week when he slid awkwardly into second base against Houston.UP NEXTYankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka is to start Friday against Toronto. Tanaka has won consecutive starts in September after going winless in August.Twins: LHP Stephen Gonsalves will make his fifth big league start Thursday at Kansas City.