Dancing with brooms, ALCS trophy beer luge: Inside Astros’ champagne celebration in New York

Matt Young, Staff writer

Oct. 24, 2022

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1of7Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, center, celebrates in the clubhouse after winning the American League pennant with a sweep of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 2of7Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, left, celebrates after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 3of7Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, left, celebrates after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 4of7The Houston Astros celebrate after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 5of7The Houston Astros celebrate after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 6of7Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr. celebrates after winning the American League pennant following a sweep of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 7of7Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña celebrates after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less

NEW YORK — Shortly after Ryan Pressly fielded Aaron Judge’s ground ball and flipped it to Yuli Gurriel for the final out of the American League Championship Series, the Astros’ celebration was on. The on-field jubilation was mostly hugs and high fives and then when the families made it to the field the whole thing became scrapbook worthy.

There was Justin Verlander and wife Kate Upton taking in the scene in near the mound at Yankee Stadium. Chas McCormick was celebrating with his girlfriend and his twin brother. Lance McCullers, who had just thrown five innings, was on the field holding his 2-year-old daughter Ava in his arms with his wife Kara nearby.

Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander hugs his wife Kate Upton after winning the American League pennant in a four-game sweep over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Then, the team headed to the visitors clubhouse at Yankee Stadium and the whole thing got messy. The music was turned way up with the sounds of Lil Boosie’s “Set It Off” bouncing off the walls. Someone found multiple brooms that players had fun dancing with to signify the series sweep. The American League championship trophy got passed around as players used it as a beer luge with the contents of full Budweiser bottles being poured over the top of it.

Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, left, celebrates after sweeping the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Astros manager Dusty Baker has been around a lot of these celebrations, so he mainly stayed on the outskirts, but he still got in the mix enough that he stepped outside the clubhouse for a few seconds and said to no one in particular, “Who’s got a towel?” as he sought relief for the familiar burning sensation that begins once champagne finds its way past the goggles.

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr., left, celebrates with relief pitcher Ryan Pressly in the clubhouse after winning the American League pennant with a sweep of the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in New York.Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Eventually Baker wiped his eyes, then peeked back through the curtain and laughed, “It’s fun. They deserve it.”

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Matt Young is a trending sports reporter at the Houston Chronicle.

Matt has been a sports editor/writer at the Chronicle since 2015. He’s proudly from Alief and occasionally sits alone in his four-cornered room staring at candles. Reach him at matt.young@chron.com.