Since going down 0-2 at home in the ALCS to the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros had gotten two wins on the road to tie the series. Houston played one more time in Globe Life Field on Friday night and took the early lead thanks to Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve gave the Astros the lead leat to put them up 3-2 in the series with a 5-4 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jordan Montgomery was the starting pitcher for the Rangers and forced groundouts against Jose Altuve and Mauricio Dubon. Alex Bregman then hit a solo home run 416 feet over the left-center field wall to put Houston up by one early.
Justin Verlander was on the bump for the Astros and forced popouts against Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, then struck out Evan Carter to end the first inning.
At the top of the fourth, Adolis Garcia caught Bregman’s hit on the run for the first out, and then Montgomery struck out Yordan Alvarez and Jose Abreu with low curveballs.
Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Pena would get on base at the top of the fifth with Tucker advancing to third on a flyout by Maldonado. Altuve would try to drive in a run with a bunt but got out at first to end the inning.
At the bottom of the frame, with one out, Nathaniel Lowe went yard over the left-field wall on Verlander to tie the game at one apiece.
Houston reclaimed the in the sixth as Bregman walked and then Alvarez hit a single that allowed Bregman to get to third. Abreu then hit a ball right at the shortstop and had it pop up straight in the air, allowing Bregman to put the Astros up by a run.
Texas took their first lead of the game at the bottom of the sixth as Seager doubled and Carter signed into left field. Adolis Garcia capitalized on the opportunity with a three-run home run to put the Rangers up 4-2. Hector Neris came in for Verlander after the shot and ended the inning.
Bryan Abreu came in to pitch for Houston at the bottom of the eighth and walked Carter and hit Garcia, which sparked an altercation between the Rangers’ right fielder and Martin Maldonado and had the dugouts clear. Travis Jankowski pinch-ran for Garcia and Ryan Pressly came in to pitch. The Astros’ relief pitcher would minimize the damage and didn’t allow a run by striking out Josh Jung and Lowe.
Jose Leclerc, who finished the eighth inning, stayed in for the top of the ninth and gave up a single to Yainer Diaz, then walked Jon Singleton. Altuve came up with a clutch three-run homer over the left-field wall to give Houston the 5-4 lead.
Pressly gave up a single to Mitch Garver and Jonah Heim but then forced outs by Semien, Seager, and struck out Carter to secure the one-run win for the Astros.
BIG NUMBER: 7
At the top of the ninth inning, Jose Altuve, the lead-off man for the Houston Astros hit his seventh home run in the six games in Globe Life Field to help elevate the Stros in a Friday night win over the Texas Rangers.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jose Altuve
Down two, Altuve hit a three-run blast to give the Astros the lead late that would give Houston the 5-4 win over their AL West division rivals. The Astors now have a 3-2 lead in the ALCS as they head back to Minute Maid Park to close out the series.
UP NEXT: The Houston Astros return home to Minute Maid Park for Game 6 of the ALCS against the Texas Rangers. The first pitch is scheduled for Sunday, October 22 at 7:03 p.m. and the action can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette 104.1 Lake Charles.