The Texas Rangers defeated the Houston Astros 2-0 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. The Rangers now lead the best-of-seven series by a 1-0 margin. The winner will advance to the World Series, where they'll meet either the Philadelphia Phillies or Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Rangers received a strong start from veteran left-hander Jordan Montgomery. They also received some timely contributions from outfielders Evan Carter and Leody Taveras, as well as catcher Jonah Heim. Heim (RBI single) and Taveras (solo homer) both had big hits against Justin Verlander. The Astros veteran ace went 6 2/3 innings but collected the loss.
The Rangers also benefited from a video review in the eighth inning that deemed Jose Altuve failed to retouch second base while returning to first on a deep fly out by Alex Bregman. The double play derailed a budding Astros rally.
Here are four things to know about the Rangers' Game 1 victory.
The Rangers' outfield helped create the only two runs of the contest.
Evan Carter, 21, continued his brilliant postseason. He entered Sunday having hit .429/.619/.857 in his first five playoff contests. In addition to making a number of impressive grabs in Game 1, he led off the second inning with a hustle double. Carter then scored on a Jonah Heim single to make it 1-0 Texas.
Carter has now recorded a hit in all six of his playoff games to begin his career. That'll play, folks, that'll play -- especially from someone who only made his big-league debut on Sept. 8.
Center fielder Leody Taveras, 25, later added Texas' second run of the night on a solo home run off Verlander. It was his first career playoff home run in what amounted to his sixth game. Take a look:
And just like, that was all the scoring in Game 1.
Jordan Montgomery outdueled Justin Verlander in what served as the first game this postseason in which both starters worked at least six innings. It would perhaps be unfair to write that this is why the Rangers acquired Montgomery at the deadline, because it seems unlikely that Texas placed this kind of expectation on him. Nevertheless, he delivered 6 1/3 shutout innings in an impressive start.
He surrendered five hits and a walk, and he struck out six batters on 90 pitches. Montgomery stymied Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez, punching him out three times in Game 1. In the process, Montgomery became the sixth individual to strike out Alvarez at least three times in a single game, joining Gerrit Cole (twice), Dylan Cease, Clayton Kershaw, Sean Manaea, and Frankie Montas.
Verlander, for his part, allowed just the two runs on six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings. Not shabby considering he did not record his first swinging strike until his 47th pitch of the night. We'll note that this served as an historic start for Verlander, as he moved past Tom Glavine for the second-most postseason starts by a pitcher. Verlander still trails Andy Pettitte by eight (36 to 44).
The Astros saw Jose Altuve reach to begin the bottom of the eighth. Alex Bregman then hit a deep fly out to left field. Altuve, as it happens, ran all the way to second base, and one step beyond. The Rangers appealed and, after a video review, it was discovered that Altuve had touched second base and advanced (by a single step) without retouching second base on his way back.
As a result, Altuve was deemed out for the unconventional double play. Here's a look at the play in all its moving picture glory:
As you can see, Altuve violated rule 5.06b(1), which states the following: "In advancing, a runner shall touch first, second, third and home base in order. If forced to return, he shall retouch all bases in reverse order, unless the ball is dead under any provision of Rule 5.06(c). In such cases, the runner may go directly to his original base."
That's the correct call, even if it terminated an Astros rally and helped Aroldis Chapman out of a potential jam.
According to the invaluable website WhoWins, MLB teams who have taken a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have historically won said series 64.4% of the time. In other words, winning Game 1 is a big deal.
Of course, you don't need the actual data to realize that winning the first game of a potential seven-game series is a good thing. The Rangers now need just three wins (versus the Astros, who need four). Furthermore, the Rangers can win the series without winning another road game. The Astros now must win at least one road game in order to claim the series and the pennant.
The Rangers and the Astros will reconvene at Minute Maid Park on Monday afternoon for Game 2. First pitch is slated for 4:37 p.m ET, and the game will be streaming on fubo (try for free). The Rangers will turn to Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA) while the Astros counter with Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.45 ERA).
Chas McCormick strikes out for the final out. Jordan Montgomery was terrific and the Rangers take Game 1. They remain undefeated this postseason (6-0) and now have home-field advantage in the ALCS. Game 2 is Monday afternoon (4:37 p.m. ET start). It'll be postseason stud Nathan Eovaldi vs. Framber Valdez, who's pretty darn good himself.
Kyle Tucker taps out to second for the second out.
Abreu with a loud fly out to center. One away.
Leclerc has pitched in every game so far this postseason.
Bryan Abreu made quick work of the Rangers in the top half. Kyle Tucker, José Abreu, and Chas McCormick vs. José Leclerc in the bottom half. Michael Brantley looms as a pinch-hit option, if needed. Rangers up 2-0.
The Rangers lead 2-0. Closer José Leclerc is coming in to face José Abreu, Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick and, if anyone reaches, Mauricio Dúbon.
Texas rookie outfielder Evan Carter in the eighth inning of Game 1 made what may turn out to a game-saving catch. With no outs and a runner on, Alex Bregman cracked a deep drive to left-center -- 365 feet and an expected batting average of .560 -- but Carter was on the case:
That's a clutch snare to preserve the 2-0 Rangers lead over Houston, and as always it's even more difficult when an outfielder is moving back toward the fence in an unfamiliar ballpark. As well, Carter's throw to second doubled off Altuve on replay review because he was deemed to have not re-touched second base as he was hustling back to first. Here's an angle that indeed appears to show Altuve's missing the bag on the way back to first:
Needless to say, had any of this gone differently then Game 1 would feel very different right now.
With some help from Evan Carter and Jose Altuve. The Rangers will hand at least a two-run lead to José Leclerc in the ninth.
Yep, he's out replay.
Looked like Altuve took one step beyond the bag. That's all it takes.
Oh man, looks like Altuve did not retouch second on his way back to first. He's gonna be out.
Bregman hits a very loud, very long fly out for the first out of the inning.
My one reservation about the Rangers has been their bullpen. I just don't trust it as a unit. These are the kind of situations where they can prove myself (and others) wrong.
It's about to get very interesting, for better or worse, depending on your perspective.
Thought Sborz would get the 3-1 strike call there. He did not. Altuve walks and the Astros will bring the tying run to the plate in the form of Alex Bregman.
Strange things are afoot at the juice box.
Sborz falls behind 3-1 to Altuve to begin the eighth
Oh wow, Sborz is still in. Maybe they're saving Chapman for the lefties (Alvarez and Tucker). They're two batters away.
The Rangers continue to lead 2-0. They're six outs from a Game 1 victory.
As the graphic on the broadcast just pointed out, the Rangers have only trailed for a half inning all postseason. They were down 2-0 to the Orioles early in Game 2 of the ALDS, but then scored five the next inning. That erased their only deficit.
Chapman's warming up. He'll face the top of the lineup in the eighth inning. It's butt clenching time for Rangers fans.
After seven innings, the Rangers have an 85.5% chance of winning Game 1.
It's 2-0 Texas.
Dubón has squared up Montgomery a few times tonight.
They just showed him sitting in the bullpen and let it serve as a reminder that he has a career 6.57 ERA in this ballpark in the regular season and has allowed some huge homers there in the playoffs, too, including Jose Altuve's series walkoff in 2019 ALCS.
They lead 2-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, and they have a 82% chance of taking a 1-0 lead over the Astros.
Semien's had a rough postseason. 0-4 tonight and .148/.207/.222 in the postseason. He's so good though, wouldn't bet on it lasting. And it's not like it's held the Rangers back either. Their nine outs away from being 6-0 this October.
