ALCS Game 2: Houston Astros fall again to Rangers, ALCS shifts to Arlington
HOUSTON - The Houston Astros look to bounce in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series after dropping Game 1 2-0 to in-state and division rival Texas Rangers.
Coming off of a rough start in the ALDS, where he allowed five runs on seven hits in 4.1 IP, Framber Valdez takes the mound for the Astros in Game 2.
Game time is slated for 3:37 p.m. CT.
TOP FIRST
Marcus Semien leads off for the Texas Rangers and hits a single to shallow center field. The very next batter, Corey Seager, also singled to shallow left field. Two men are on base with no outs. Grossman hit a blooper towards Valdez, who couldn't field the ball cleanly and attempted to make the play at first base, but was unable to do so. As a result, Marcus Semien scores for the Rangers on the throwing error by Valdez. Rangers now lead 1-0. Adolis Garcia hits a line drive to right field, scoring Seager. Rangers score another one, 2-0, with runners on the corners. Mitch Garver steps in and singles to left field, scoring Grossman. Rangers now lead 3-0 with runners on first and second. Jonah Heim strikes out on a foul tip. 1 down with Nathaniel Lowe at the plate and hits another rope to left field, scoring Garcia. Rangers now lead 4-0 with runners at first and second. Josh Jung steps in and strikes out swinging. Leody Taveras steps in with two out and flies out to center field.
BOTTOM FIRST
Jose Altuve steps in and leads off for the Astros and grounds out to third base. Alex Bregman grounds out to third base. Kyle Tucker steps in and lines out to shallow right field. 1-2-3 inning for the Rangers. Rangers lead 4-0 after one inning.
TOP SECOND
Marcus Semien leads off for the Rangers and hits a line drive through the infield for a single. Corey Seager steps in and strikes out swinging. Robbie Grossman reaches base on a fielders choice to shallow infield. Marcus Semien out at second base. Adolis Garcia now at bat and is hit by a pitch. Runners now at first and second with Mitch Garver at the plate and Framber Valdez strikes him out swinging.
BOTTOM SECOND
Yordan Alvarez steps in and leads off for the Astros and SEE YA to the upper deck!! Alvarez gets the Astros on the board!! AIR YORDAN COMING AT YA!!
The next batter Abreu grounds out to third base and the play is made at first base. Michael Brantley steps in and is called out on strikes. Chas McCormick steps in and the play is made along the third baseline and the play is made at first base. Score after two innings 4-1 Rangers.
TOP THIRD
Heim steps in for the Texas Rangers and leads off hitting a monster solo home run to left field. Rangers now lead 5-1. Lowe steps in and strikes out swinging. Jung steps in and strikes out swinging. Leody Taveras walks. And Houston Astros Manager Dusty Baker is making the call to the bullpen and Rafael Montero will replace Valdez on the mound. Taveras advances to second base on a stolen base. Marcus Semien at the plate and Montero gets him swinging.
BOTTOM THIRD
Jeremy Pena leads off for the Houston Astros and flies out to right field. Martin Maldonado steps in and strikes out swinging. Back to the top of the order now with Jose Altuve who grounds out to the shortstop and the play is made at first base. Score remains 5-1 Rangers after three innings.
TOP FOURTH
Corey Seager leads off for the Rangers in the top of the fourth and lines out to center field where Chas McCormick makes a diving play. Evan Carter steps in and flies out to left field. Adolis Garcia now at the plate and strikes out swinging. Score still 5-1 Rangers.
BOTTOM FOURTH
Alex Bregman leads off for the Astros in the bottom of the fourth inning and IT IS GONE!! Bregman with the Breggy Bomb!! The Astros are slowly chipping away at the Rangers lead. Rangers lead 5-2.
Tucker steps in and flies out to shallow infield. One away. Yordan Alvarez now at the plate and is called out on strikes. Abreu now at the plate and strikes out swinging. Rangers lead 5-2 after four innings.
TOP FIFTH
The Astros have gone to the bullpen again and are replacing Rafael Montero with J.P. France. Mitch Garver steps in and pops out in foul territory. Heim steps up to the plate and pops out to right field. Nathaniel Lowe now at the plate and he pops out to deep center field.
BOTTOM FIFTH
Michael Brantley leads off for the Astros in the bottom of the fifth inning. He knocks a rope through the infield for a single. McCormick steps into the batters box with Brantley on first base, and he knocks a rope through the infield for a single. Runners now on first and second base. Following a mound visit by the Rangers, Jeremy Pena steps in and hits a line drive to the third baseman who can't make the play. Error on the third baseman. Bases are now loaded for Yanier Diaz, who is pinch hitting for Maldonado. Diaz strikes out swinging. Jose Altuve now at bat and strikes out swinging. Bregman steps in and ground out to the third baseman, who makes the throw to first base. Rangers still lead, 5-2 after five innings.
TOP SIXTH
Josh Jung steps in and leads off for the Rangers in the top of the sixth inning and lines out to center field. Taveras steps in and hits a pop fly to deep right field and legs out a triple. Semien now at the plate and knocks a line drive right to Bregman, who also made the tag at third base to get Taveras for the double play.
BOTTOM SIXTH
Kyle Tucker leads off for the Astros in the bottom of the sixth inning and struck out swinging. Yordan Alvarez now at the plate and he was walked. Abreu steps in to the batters box and he strikes out swinging. Michael Brantley steps in and hits a line drive to center field, scoring Alvarez.
Brantley now on second base. Score now, 5-3 Rangers. McCormick steps in and strikes out swinging.
TOP SEVENTH
Corey Seager steps in to lead off for the Rangers and strikes out swinging. Evan Carter steps in with one down. Carter is walked. Houston Astros made another call to the bullpen and Phil Maton will take over on the mound. Adolis Garcia will be the first batter to face Maton. And Garcia grounds to third base and the throw is made to first base. Carter advances to second base. Garver steps in and he hits the ball with the end of his bat, Maton makes the play and tosses the ball to first base to end the half-inning. Score remains 5-3, Rangers as we head into the stretch.
BOTTOM SEVENTH
Josh Sborz has replaced Eovaldi as pitcher for the Texas Rangers as Jeremy Pena leads off for the Astros who grounds to shortstop who makes the throw to first base. Diaz steps in to face Sborz. Diaz grounds out to shortstop who makes the play to first base. Two down. Jose Altuve now at the plate and is called out on strikes. 1-2-3 seventh inning for the Rangers. Score remains 5-3 Rangers after seven.
TOP EIGHTH
Bryan Abreu is now pitching for the Astros as Heim leads off for the Rangers in the top of the eighth inning. Heim strikes out swinging. Nathaniel Lowe pops out to shallow center field. Josh Jung is next at bat and he strikes out swinging.
BOTTOM EIGHTH
Aroldis Chapman takes over pitching for the Texas Rangers as Alex Bregman leads off for the Astros. Bregman flies out to shallow center field. Kyle Tucker now at bat and he grounds out to second base and the throw is made to first base. Yordan Alvarez steps in and BOOM!!! IT'S OUTTA HERE!! Astros cut into the lead again! 5-4 Astros.
The next batter, Jose Abreu, steps in and the Rangers are going back to the bullpen. Jose Leclerc to replace Aroldis Chapman. Abreu is walked. Brantley steps in to face Leclerc. Brantley is also walked. Two men on base. McCormick steps in and lines to third base where the out is made on the leading runner. We head to the ninth inning with the Rangers clinging to a one-run lead.
TOP NINTH
Ryan Pressly is now on the mound for the Astros with Taveras leading off for the Rangers. Taveras was walked and Semien is now in the batters box. A wild pitch by Pressley allows Taveras to advance to second base. No outs. Semien strikes out swinging. One out. Seager steps in to face Pressley. Seager grounds out to first base where the play is made. Tavares advances to third. Evan Carter now at bat. Carter grounds to second base and the play is made at first base to end the inning for the Rangers. Score remains 5-4 Rangers as we head to the bottom of the ninth inning for the Astros.
BOTTOM NINTH
Jeremy Pena leads off for the Astros in the bottom of the ninth. Pena hits one deep to right field but not deep enough. One down. Diaz steps in and grounds to shortstop and the play is made at first base. Two down. Jose Altuve steps in. Altuve hits one deep but not deep enough and the Texas Rangers win, 5-4. Lead best of 7 series, 2-0.