The Houston Astros evened the best-of-seven ALCS at two games apiece with a 10-3 win over the Texas Rangers in Game 4 on Thursday night.
Both starting pitchers struggled and allowed a combined six runs in three innings of work. Corey Seager broke his ALCS slump with a home run, and Astros first baseman José Abreu hit his fourth home run of this postseason. The Astros' lead was imperiled in the bottom of the fifth, but a replay review credited Abreu with a perhaps controversial double play that helped squelch the threat.
Pre-game, much was made of the decision to leave the roof open at Globe Life Field on Thursday night, but if anyone took advantage of those generally hitter-friendly changes it was the visiting Astros.
While Game 5 will be in Arlington, the 2-2 series tie ensures that there will be at least a Game 6 back in Houston.
Now for some takeaways from Game 4.
One day after the Rangers got a mere four innings from Game 3 starter Max Scherzer, Andrew Heaney gave them just two outs in his Game 4 start. Over that 2/3 of a frame, the lefty Heaney allowed three runs on four hits with a walk and no strikeouts. He lasted 22 pitches.
Heaney was effective for Texas during the regular season, as he pitched to a 107 ERA+ in 28 starts and six relief appearances. However, any semblance of effectiveness eluded him on Thursday. By the time he left the game, the Astros had better than a 75% chance of winning Game 4 and thus evening the series.
In addition to putting them in an unenviable spot early, the Rangers also face bullpen fatigue concerns going into Friday's Game 5.
As for Urquidy, he was staked to that early 3-0 lead, but it was gone by the third inning. He allowed a home run to Adolis García in the second, and in the third the Rangers were able to tie up. Urquidy's line – 2 1/3 IP, 3 ER – would've been even worse had Ryne Stanek not relieved him and induced an inning-ending double play with his first pitch.
Yordan Alvarez, the most productive hitter of the 2023 postseason thus far, just missed a game-turning grand slam in the fourth inning. Here's a look:
That left Alvarez's mighty bat at 110.7 mph and had an expected batting average of .890. Per Statcast, it also would've been a home run in 17 of 30 MLB ballparks. Maybe, though, Alvarez caught an unfortunate headwind (recall that open roof), which turned into a mere sac fly that gave Houston a 4-3 lead.
Baseball, though, is a team sport and fellow Houston cloutsman José Abreu came up soon after and picked up those remaining ducks on the pond in no-doubt fashion. Ground control to Major Bomb:
That's a 438-foot shot that came at the expense of Cody Bradford and gave the Astros a 7-3 lead and high odds of evening this best-of-seven series and ensuring there will be a Game 6 back in Houston.
The 36-year-old Abreu quite infamously got off to a terrible start in his first season with the Astros, but he started flashing more customary power down the stretch. He's been even better in these playoffs:
As for Alvarez, he still went 2 for 4 with three RBI and now has an OPS of 1.522 for the 2023 postseason.
The Astros' win means that the ALCS is now in essence a best-of-three series with Houston holding home-field advantage, as they'll host Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7. On the other hand, the Astros have been better on the road than at home this season, and in this season the road team is undefeated thus far. Also of note is that for most playoff teams the rotation flips back to the front end after a Game 4, and that's the case in this one.
Who will have the series edge when it shifts back to Houston for Game 6? That's the central question that will be answered in Friday's Game 5. Historically, the team that's up 3-2 in a best-of-seven MLB postseason series goes on to win that series more than 70% of the time. Needless to say, the next one is a big one.
The pitching match-up will be a replay of Game 1, as Justin Verlander goes for the visiting Astros against Jordan Montgomery. First pitch is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. ET.
The Astros' evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 with a dominating offensive performance. They chased Texas starter Andrew Heaney after just ⅔ of an inning and pounded out 11 hits, eight of which came with runners in scoring position. Game 5 will be Friday back in Arlington.
Going into the bottom of the eighth, the Astros lead 10-3 and have a 99.7% chance of winning Game 4.
The Astros' 7-3 lead heading to the seventh inning was decent-sized enough that they probably felt comfortable, but with this Rangers offense and the way the ball is jumping in Arlington for Game 4, it certainly wasn't overly safe. Chas McCormick made sure to put a little more distance between the two Texas ballclubs when he hit this two-run shot.
That is McCormick's third career postseason home run. Funnily enough, all three have come in this round. His other two came against the Yankees in last year's ALCS.
Astros are now 93% to win Game 4 and even the series.
Yordan Alvarez, the most productive hitter of 2023 postseason thus far, just missed a game-turning grand slam in the fourth inning. Here's a look:
That left Alvarez's mighty bat at 110.7 mph and had an expected batting average of .890. Per Statcast, it also would've been a home run in 17 of 30 MLB ballparks. Maybe, though, Alvarez caught an unfortunate headwind (the Globe Life roof is open for Game 4), which turned into merely a sac fly that gave Houston a 4-3 lead.
Baseball, though, is a team sport and fellow Houston cloutsman José Abreu came up soon after and picked up those remaining ducks on the pond in no-doubt fashion. Ground control to Major Bomb:
That's a 438-foot shot that came at the expense of Cody Bradford and gave the Astros a 7-3 lead and high odds of evening this best-of-seven series and ensuring there will be a Game 6 back in Houston.
José Abreu clubs a three-run shot and it's 7-3 Astros. This thing is far from over, though. The ball is flying, just like we knew it would.
.890 expected batting average on that Alvarez fly-out. Would've been a home run in 17 of 30 MLB ballparks.
I thought that Alvarez shot was to the moon (so did he)
Yordan Alvarez just missed a grand slam. Loud sac fly to the track instead.
Alvarez flies out to warning track in the deepest part of the ballpark. It's 4-3 on the sac fly, but that looked like a possible grand slam for a bit.
And here comes rookie lefty Cody Bradford with the task of facing Yordan Alvarez with the bases loaded. There's one out and it's tied, 3-3.
Two walks and a single before Alex Bregman. Uh oh, Rangers ...
That seems like a good formula to hit the over on 9.5 runs. So says the gambler.
Tonight's starters combined for 3 IP and 6 ER.
One pitch from Stanek yielded an inning-ending double play and keeps the score tied 3-3.
Evan Carter reaches as the go-ahead run with a bloop single.
The Astros' 3-0 first-inning lead was fully erased with one out in the bottom of the third inning. The Rangers got two back in the second inning and then Corey Seager hit the game-tying blast in the third:
Seager is now 11 for 20 with three homers with the roof open in 2023, per Evan Grant.
Also of note, that is Seager's 15th career postseason home run. Nine of them have come in Globe Life Field. Remember, he hit seven in the 2020 NLCS and two in the World Series that year when the neutral games were played in Arlington.
Gotta feel like Semien is going to have a big moment at some point. Uncharacteristic struggles for him this postseason.
The best part about that inning is it gives us hope for a back-and-forth, competitive game. When you don't have a horse in the race, that's the preferred route.
Sac fly from Jung cuts it to one.
Jung just missed the barrel on that one.
The Rangers have good jersey font, front and back.
After the homer, Mitch Garver drew a walk before a flyout and then Nathaniel Lowe doubled down the left-field line a blooper with eyes. The tying run is on second with one out. Josh Jung to the plate. Remember, he homered twice in Game 3.
Down 3-0 and with a somewhat deflated home crowd, the Rangers needed something to happen in the second inning. Fortunately for the Rangers, Adolis García was on the case:
The blast off a 2-2 changeup from José Urquidy left García's bat at 100.6 mph and traveled 379 feet to cut the Houston lead to two runs. That's García's third home run of this postseason.
Adolis García hits a home run. It's 3-1 Astros.
The Astros got a single and walk that inning, but still camp up empty. Good defense and Dunning made some good pitches. It would behoove their offense to work Urquidy as hard as possible here instead of letting him work deep into the game, both in the short run and for the long-term goal of winning the series.
Astros threatened in that frame, but Dunning is able to keep the deficit at three runs.
To Matt's point, it always felt like a matter of time before the Astros remembered how good they are. Feels like we're finally getting there.
Altuve is 2 for 2. He's getting very hot and we've seen what that can do in the playoffs before.
