Houston Astros' Jose Altuve hits a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the seventh inning of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years after a sign-stealing scheme propelled the Astros to their first championship, Houston’s star-studded lineup did little during the regular season to quiet criticism it could only hit when cheating.

Back in the postseason, they’re banging away as well as ever — no trash cans necessary.

Carlos Correa hit a go-ahead, three-run homer after Michael Brantley’s two-run shot in the fourth inning, helping the Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 11-6 on Thursday to end their home-run heavy AL Division Series in four games.

Correa drove in five as the Astros — October villains to many a year after their espionage was exposed — advanced to the AL Championship Series for the fourth consecutive season. They improved to 5-1 in the playoffs after struggling to a 29-31 record in the pandemic-shortened season.

It will be the Astros’ first ALCS under Dusty Baker, their 71-year-old manager.

Houston will play either the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay Rays in the best-of-seven ALCS in San Diego. The Yankees and Rays are tied 2-2.

Yankees 5, Rays 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The New York Yankees didn’t flinch under the pressure of an elimination game and got the AL Division Series against Tampa Bay into the hands of ace Gerrit Cole for the decisive Game 5.

Luke Voit and Gleyber Torres hit impressive home runs, Jordan Montgomery and three relievers were brilliant in combining on a three-hitter and the Yankees beat the Rays 5-1 Thursday night to even the best-of-5 series at 2-2.

The Yankees bounced back from consecutive losses against their AL East rivals to set up a showdown between Cole and Tyler Glasnow on Friday night.

Tyler Glasnow will be starting on two days’ rest after throwing 93 pitches over five innings and striking out 10 in winning Game 2.

Braves 7, Marlins 0

HOUSTON (AP) — After homering in each of the first two games of the NL Division Series, Travis d’Arnaud hit a two-run double in Atlanta’s four-run third inning on Thursday that helped give the Braves a 7-0 win over the Miami Marlins and a three-game sweep of the series.

D’Arnaud was 6 for 10 with two homers, two doubles and seven RBIs — the most by a catcher in a division series.

With d’Arnaud behind the plate, Kyle Wright led the Braves staff to its fourth shutout of the postseason. Wright threw six innings, allowing only three hits but having to pitch out of trouble early in the game.

D’Arnaud hit .321 with nine homers in the shortened season while sharing time with Tyler Flowers.