What to expect from the Rangers-Astros ALCS series
This year’s ALCS is all about Texas. The Rangers enter this series 5-0 but will face the Astros, who historically look unstoppable in the playoffs.
The Astros’ victory over the Rangers in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night put Houston back in the series, with Texas leading 2-1 in Game 4 on Thursday.
Houston got the better of Max Scherzer early and won 8-5 at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Yordan Alvarez’s postseason rush continued with two RBI and he is now hitting .407 with six home runs and 10 RBI in seven games.
Left-hander Andrew Heaney takes over as the starter for the Rangers, while right-hander Jose Urquidy takes over for the Astros in a crucial contest.
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Chas McCormick hit a two-run home run that extended the Houston Astros’ lead to 9-3 in the seventh inning of ALCS Game 4, but his blast off reliever Will Smith on Thursday night could have a longer-lasting impact.
By increasing the game from a four-run Astros lead to a six-run lead, McCormick might have ensured the Astros stayed away from their best relievers – Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu and closer Ryan Pressly – after they all worked in Game 3.
If the Astros hold on and finish the series 2-2, everyone will be rested for the crucial fifth game at Globe Life Field on Friday afternoon.
Phil Maton came on in relief in the seventh inning and the Astros needed nine more outs to tie the game.
– Gabe Lacques
ARLINGTON, Texas – Cody Bradford is a strong young pitcher, a big left-handed hitter who comes in with a 91 mph fastball and a changeup he uses frequently. And despite that disappointing repertoire, he competed valiantly in the worst spot manager Bruce Bochy could assign him: bases loaded, Yordan Alvarez at the plate.
Bradford escaped that point, delivering just a sacrifice fly after a nine-pitch batter.
But Jose Abreu made him pay the price.
Abreu followed with a line drive and a three-run home run off Bradford to give the Astros a 7-3 lead in the fourth inning of ALCS Game 4.
It might be tempting to call Abreu’s shot a “game-breaking,” but there’s simply no reason to break this game, not with the Astros having 18 more outs to cover and their three highest-leverage relievers weakened after pitching Game 3 are.
The wild ride continues.
– Gabe Lacques
ARLINGTON, Texas – Corey Seager tied Game 4 of the ALCS on a pitch he shouldn’t hit out of the park.
But Seager is different, and not only did he match Houston Astros starter José Urquidy’s 92 mph fastball, he also drove it to the opposite field, 401 feet into the Astros bullpen, to tie the game at 3-3 .
After two more singles, Urquidy was out of the game, combining with Rangers starter Andrew Heaney for just nine outs.
Now everything is clear, there are still six innings to play.
– Gabe Lacques
ARLINGTON, Texas – Just two innings into Game 4, it’s abundantly clear that this contest will be decided by the relievers.
Adolis Garcia hit a home run in the bottom of the second and the Texas Rangers fended off another run against Houston Astros starter José Urquidy with a double by Nathaniel Lowe and a sacrifice fly by Josh Jung, pushing the Astros’ lead to 3-3. 2 was shortened.
The Astros chased Rangers starter Andrew Heaney with two outs in the first, and the Rangers almost returned the favor in the second when Houston reliever Ryne Stanek warmed up. But with two hits, Urquidy limited the hard-hitting Jung to a sacrifice fly and struck out Leody Taveras to end the decisive run at second.
– Gabe Lacques
ARLINGTON, Texas – The Houston Astros continue to blow up the Texas Rangers’ postseason pitching plans.
With a 2-1 lead heading into Game 4 of the ALCS, the Rangers once again attempted to successfully “piggyback” Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning, with the left-hander playing as long as possible before handing it off to his right-handed counterpart.
But Heaney never got off the ground.
Houston hit him with a double, a single and an Alex Bregman two-run triple before he could record an out, and the Astros chased him from the game before he could finish the first inning. Dunning provided relief and kept the game manageable: 3-0 to the Astros before the Rangers could strike.
Heaney and Dunning combined for perhaps the Rangers’ most important win of the postseason: a 3-2 triumph in Game 1 of the ALDS in Baltimore, as Heaney retired the first 11 batters before Dunning and four other relievers got the job done. The Rangers swept the ALDS in three games and won the first two in the ALCS.
But now, pending the outcome of Jose Urquidy as the Astros’ starter, that series appears to be heading back to Houston for a Game 6.
– Gabe Lacques
Thursday night’s game is scheduled to begin at 8:03 p.m. ETBroadcast continues Fox Sports 1 or streaming via fuboTV.
ARLINGTON, Texas – After returning from a 37-day layoff due to a shoulder strain, Max Scherzer found himself lacking his usual command of his pitches. He was thrown around for five runs in four innings and was no match for the Astros’ playoff virtuoso Cristian Javier, who took a no-hitter in the fifth inning Wednesday night at Globe Life Field.
The Astros won Game 3 of this American League Championship Series 8-5, and although they still trail the series 2-1, the next question facing the Rangers should provide comfort.
What are we doing tomorrow?
Texas stormed through the AL Wild Card Series and the Division Series, winning the first two games of that ALCS as playoff veteran Nathan Eovaldi and left-hander Jordan Montgomery started five of their seven games.
But the best-of-seven format leaves no room for hiding in the squad. And Scherzer’s gambit – he threw two simulated games and managed 69 throws before the Rangers called up their famously intense mercenary to start – failed completely.
His belly flop begs the question: Are Rangers, unbeaten 24 hours ago, suddenly in trouble?
“Nobody said it was going to be easy,” Rangers designated hitter Mitch Garver said. “And certainly no one thought we would win until the end.”
“There would be a few bumps.”
Houston Astros
Starting pitcher: RHP Jose Urquidy
Texas Rangers
starting pitcher: LHP Andrew Heaney