'It’s something that’s really important': Astros Yuli Gurriel leads team to victory over Oakland, earns AL batting championship

The 2021 regular season is now in the books for the Houston Astros, who now enter the postseason as the American League's No. 2 seed.

"Game 1? won. Game 162? won," The Houston Astros wrote in an Oct. 3 Twitter post.

On Oct. 3, the Astros capped the regular season off with a 7-6 win over the Oakland Athletics, according to MLB. First baseman and newly crowned AL batting king Yuli Gurriel emerged from what was supposed to be a day off to hit the walk-off home run for the home team, which finished 2021 with a 95-67 record. 

Gurriel finishes with a .319 batting average and became only the second person in Astros history to win a batting title after Jose Altuve, who won three titles.

He also becomes only the second Cuban-born win a batting title, the other being the Minnesota Twins' Tony Oliva who won titles in 1964, '65 and '71.

"It’s something that’s really important," Gurriel told MLB. "I think everybody knows it’s a big deal and it’s tough to win a batting title, so it means a lot. I was fine either way with playing today [or not]."

On Sept. 30, The Astros clinched their fourth AL West title in half a decade by defeating the AL-s best team, the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, according to Houston Daily.

"Winning a division is not easy," Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. said, according to Houston Daily. "I think we have done a great job this year and are looking forward to the postseason."

MLB reports that the Astros drew the Chicago White Sox for the American League Division Series. By defeating Oakland at least once over the past weekend, Houston earned home-field advantage in the opening round of the postseason. 

The first game will be held on Thursday, Oct. 7 at Minute Maid Park.