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The Houston Astros opened their seventh straight appearance in the American League Championship Series with their in-state rival the Texas Rangers. Leody Taveras launched a solo homer in the fifth, Jordan Montgomery pitched 6+ innings of scoreless baseball, and the Houston Astros couldn’t get anything going in a 2-0 loss to the Rangers in Game 1.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
On a night when two of the best pitchers left in the postseason were set to go at it, neither disappointed. Both Houston and Texas combined for just one hit in the first inning before the Rangers got on the board in the second inning. Following a double from Evan Carter, Jonah Heim delivered an RBI single to score the first run of the ALCS.
In both the second and third innings, Houston was able to get a base hit but couldn’t quite turn it into anything. However, in the fourth, the Astros were able to load the bases with three straight singles from Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, and Jeremy Pena. However, Jordan Montgomery was able to slam the ball on Martin Maldonado and end the threat.
In the fifth, the Rangers would strike again with a solo home run from Leody Taveras to make it 2-0 Texas. For Taveras, it was his 15th homer of the season and his first in the postseason.
Montgomery was incredible in Game 1 for the Rangers, pitching 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball while giving up five hits and striking out six Astros. Houston couldn’t get anything going offensively besides the three singles earlier in the game.
Verlander as a whole was impressive in his start as well, pitching 6.2 innings with six hits, two runs, and five strikeouts. The three-time Cy Young winner threw 101 pitches before being relieved by Hector Neris.
In the eighth, Houston got their leadoff guy on with a walk to Jose Altuve that ended the night of the Rangers’ first relief pitcher, Josh Sborz. Then, facing Aroldis Chapman, Alex Bregman launched a hit into the left-center alley, but a great grab by Carter robbed Bregman of an RBI. Then on the play, Altuve didn’t retouch second base when retreating back to first, so he was ruled out as well for a double play.
Jose Leclerc, one of the better closers in all of baseball, came on in the bottom of the ninth and shut the door on the Houston Astros to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
BIG NUMBER: 3
Yordan Alvarez, the player the Astros tend to depend on the most when it comes to the postseason, struck out three times in tonight’s contest. Alvarez and the Astros were silent offensively.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jordan Montgomery
The Rangers’ starting pitcher was absolutely incredible tonight in Game 1, pitching 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball. The former St. Louis Cardinal gave up five hits and struck out six in the contest as he completely controlled the Houston offense.
UP NEXT: Houston and Texas will return to Minute Maid Park for Game 2 of the ALCS at 3:37 Monday afternoon. Pregame will begin at 3:05 on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.