Astros Play By Play: Houston Takes The Lead And Wins Game 3 Against The Texas Rangers; Altuve's Home Run Gives Him His First Series Hit

ARLINGTON, Texas (KTRK) — For the first time in the American League Championship Series, the Houston Astros had and maintained a lead against the Texas Rangers in Game 3, giving the defending World Series champions their first win in the ALCS.

The Stros were able to score three runs in the second inning against Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Yordan Alvarez, who was on base after a hit-by-pitch, advanced to third base and scored on a two-out wild pitch with two other baserunners. Then Martin Maldonado hit an RBI single to bring home the remaining baserunners and take an early 3-0 lead.

Houston’s third inning on offense gave Jose Altuve the first hit of the ALCS when he blasted a 413-foot home run to left-center. Houston extended the lead 4-0.

In the fourth inning, Houston scored again after Mauricio Dubon brought in Jose Abreu with an RBI single. At this point it was 5-0.

But the Texas Rangers struggled despite a strong performance from the Astros’ Cristian Javier. Rookie Josh Jung rocked Javier for a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, cutting the deficit to 5-2.

The round-tripper, which was preceded by Javier’s first allowed hit of the game against Nathaniel Lowe, marked the first runs allowed by Javier in four postseason starts, dating back to last year’s ALCS Game 3.

Alvarez had a chance to get one of those runs back in the sixth inning when he hit a high fly ball right up the middle, but Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras robbed No. 44 of another postseason home run by climbing the wall and hitting a SportsCenter Top scored 10 type grabs.

Alvarez made up for it in the seventh inning when he drove in two runs with a bases-loaded RBI single to take a five-run lead, 7-2.

Hector Neris came in to replace Javier, who pitched five and two-thirds of the inning and threw 85 pitches. Neris finished the sixth inning and was one out away from retiring the Rangers in the seventh when Jung hit another two-run home run to take a 7-4 lead.

The Astros got a run back in the eighth inning when Jeremy Peña hit a single to score Kyle Tucker. Houston still led 8-4.

Bryan Abreu came on in the eighth inning against a still struggling Rangers team that immediately recovered an RBI run off. The Astros still lead 8-5. The result was Abreu’s first run allowed in 31 games.

But that was all the runs the Rangers would score. Ryan Pressly struck out in the ninth inning, prompting Jung to hit a game-winning double play.

SEE ALSO: 3 Astros, including Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and Mauricio Dubón, named 2023 Gold Glove finalists

The Astros’ win guarantees the series will go into a fifth game on Friday afternoon. Another Houston win in Arlington would guarantee the series returns to Minute Maid Park for at least Game 6.

Houston’s previous Game 3, when it was down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series

The Astros have lost the first two games of a best-of-seven series five times in their history, including Wednesday’s game.

Of course, these teams had to move on. Just two losses doesn’t end a streak that requires four to eliminate a team.

How did past Stros fare in Game 3?

The first time they went into a 0-2 hole was in 2004 National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who defended their home field in the first two games. When the series moved to Minute Maid Park, Houston cruised to a 5-2 victory thanks to powerful home runs from Jeff Kent, Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman and a seven-inning performance from Roger Clemens. Houston won the remaining home games and came just one win away from the World Series. The Astros were eliminated in seven games.

The next time they faced each other was 0-2 2005 World Series against the Chicago White Sox. After losing the first two games in Chi-Town, Houston took a 4-0 lead after four innings until the White Sox gave up five runs to Roy Oswalt in the fifth inning. The Astros tied the game in the eighth inning with an RBI double by Jason Lane. Houston and Chicago would tie this game in the 14th inning, which White Sox slugger Geoff Blum – yes, the Astros broadcaster – tied with a home run. Either one or two runs decided the games in this series.

Fourteen years later, Houston faced losing its first two home games for the first time World Series 2019 against the Washington Nationals. The ‘Stros used six pitchers, including starter Zack Greinke, to limit the Nats to just one run despite allowing nine hits. Meanwhile, the Houston batters defeated Washington’s Anibal Sanchez with 10 hits and four earned runs to win Game 3. The ‘Stros won the rest of the road games and, just like in the 2004 NLCS, came just short of winning a second World Series title in three years. The Astros lost in seven games.

The last 0-2 start to a series occurred three years ago 2020 ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, and unlike the other series in this post, all games were played at a neutral site in San Diego, without fans and within seven days. Houston lost close games in the first two contests. In Game 3, Houston had a 1-0 lead through the first five innings until things were unraveled in the sixth inning when the Rays scored five runs. Houston played in four straight elimination games as part of an improbable turnaround that was undone in Game 7.

2023 ALCS schedule and results: Texas leads 2-1 in best-of-seven series

Game 1: Rangers 2, Astros 0
Game 2: Rangers 5, Astros 4
Game 3: Astros 8, Rangers 4
Game 4: Astros at Rangers, Thursday, 7:03 p.m
Game 5: Astros at Rangers, Friday, 4:07 p.m
Game 6: Rangers at Astros, Sunday, 7:03 p.m.*
Game 7: Rangers at Astros, Monday, October 23, 7:03 p.m.*

Astros play by play: Houston takes the lead and wins Game 3 against the Texas Rangers; Altuve’s home run gives him his first series hit – KTRK-TV

Houston’s previous Game 3, when it was down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series

2023 ALCS schedule and results: Texas leads 2-1 in best-of-seven series

More Astros stories throughout the 2023 postseason