Rangers take ALCS Game 1 from Astros, staying perfect in 2023 MLB playoffs
Jordan Montgomery stopped Yordan Alvarez right in his tracks, and the Texas Rangers struck first in the American League Championship Series, thanks to their unlikely emerging playoff ace and a baserunning gaffe by a playoff legend.
Montgomery posted his second scoreless outing in three playoff starts, including a total throttling of the Houston Astros’ previously unstoppable slugger. And the Rangers showed off the undeniable advantage they have in this series – the hitters at the bottom of the order – to register a 2-0 victory in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday night at Minute Maid Park.
The Rangers are perfect this postseason – 6-0, five of the wins coming on the road – and they put the Astros in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable spot. The defending World Series champs have won the past two AL pennants, and they captured Game 1 of the ALCS both times.
Now, in their seventh consecutive ALCS, they’ll have to play uphill.
Their best chance to get back in the game was scotched in the eighth inning, when Jose Altuve drew a leadoff walk and Aroldis Chapman – twice tormented by the Astros in the ALCS as a Yankee – was summoned to face Alex Bregman. Bregman nearly posterized Chapman yet again, skying a fly to left, but rookie Evan Carter made a leaping catch at the wall.
Altuve ostensibly did the right thing – ran to second and waited to see if the ball was caught – but failed to touch second base after he eased just past the bag. He was called out on replay review – a devastating double play.
But the real damage was done by Montgomery. He allowed just five singles in his 6 ⅓ scoreless innings, striking out six and walking just one. He held the Astros’ vaunted first five in their order to two singles in 15 at-bats.
And most important, he shut down Alvarez.
The 2021 World Series hero and one of the game’s most premier sluggers came in on a heater, homering four times in four games in the Astros 3-1 AL Division Series conquest of Minnesota.
But he was no match for Montgomery’s sneaky fastball and elite breaking ball; he fanned three times against Montgomery, flailing at that curveball to strike out in his final at-bat.
Acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline – and dumped by the New York Yankees a year ago when they figured he didn’t fit into their postseason plans – Montgomery has twice secured a Game 1 win for Texas in dominant fashion.
His seven shutout innings against Tampa Bay steadied the Rangers after a shaky final week of the regular season relegated them to the wild-card series – and forced Montgomery into the Game 1 start.
Now, after a no-decision against Baltimore in the ALDS and Sunday’s effort, he has quite a postseason resume: A 2.08 ERA in 17 ⅓ innings, 13 strikeouts and just one walk.
Monday’s Game 2 pits two seasoned playoff heroes: Astros lefty Framber Valdez and Rangers right-hander Nate Eovaldi. But it’s the Astros who must view this as a virtual must-win.
– Gabe Lacques
Here's how Game 1 went down on Sunday:
Evan Carter's clutch catch starts double play in the eighth
After Josh Sborz walked leadoff man Jose Altuve in the eighth, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy called on reliever Aroldis Chapman, who famously surrendered Altuve's walk-off home run at Minute Maid Park that sent the Astros to the World Series.
Alex Bregman hit a deep drive to left, but rookie outfielder Evan Carter made a leaping catch up against the high wall. Altuve had stepped on second base and failed to re-touch the bag on his way back to first, getting called out in a 7-6-4 double play.
Rangers lead 2-0 through seven
Jordan Montgomery came out of the game with one out in the seventh, finishing with six strikeouts in 6 ⅓ scoreless innings as the Rangers bring a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning. Josh Sborz relieved Montgomery to get the last two outs of the seventh inning.
Astros starter Justin Verlander finished with five strikeouts and two earned runs in 6 ⅔ innings.
Leodys Taveras home run doubles Rangers' lead
After No. 6 Jonah Heim drove in the first run of Game 1 ALCS off Justin Verlander, No. 9 hitter Leody Taveras hit a solo home run off Verlander in the top of the fifth inning, giving the Rangers a 2-0 lead.
If there's an advantage the Rangers have over the West division champ Astros, it's in the Nos. 6-9 spots in the lineup. The Astros nearly equalized, however, with singles by Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon and Jeremy Peña to load the bases in the fourth. But No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado struck out, stranding three.
Still, the Astros are drawing closer to getting into a questionable Rangers bullpen.
– Gabe Lacques
Jonah Heim's RBI single opens the scoring for Rangers
In the top of the second, Rangers catcher Jonah Heim delivered an RBI single to score rookie Evan Carter after his one-out double against Justin Verlander.
Verlander loaded the bases with two outs – a Josh Jung single and a Leody Taveras walk – but got Marcus Semien top pop out on the seventh pitch of the at-bat to escape the jam.
Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer meet again – on opposite sides of the ALCS
Two fortysomething pitchers, two identical injuries, six months apart.
And suddenly, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are reunited again, albeit on opposite sides, for the American League Championship Series.
The Rangers announced on Sunday that Scherzer, 39, will be activated for the ALCS and he figures to start Game 3 or 4 when the series shifts from Houston to Arlington. It will be his first start since suffering a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder during his last start Sept. 13.
Scherzer and Verlander, each making $43.3 million this season, were supposed to be the backbone of the New York Mets – the most expensive team assembled – but that started going sideways when Verlander, 40, suffered his own teres major strain just before Opening Day. That, in concert with fellow starter Jose Quintana’s rib injury sidelining him for the first half, was just part of the reason the Mets floundered.
Verlander was shipped back to Houston in July, Scherzer to the Rangers just days later. And now the longtime Detroit Tigers teammates will oppose each other in a huge series once again – just as they did in the 2019 World Series, when Scherzer started and won Game 1 and also started Game 7 for the victorious Washington Nationals. Verlander started and lost both Games 2 and 6; manager Bruce Bochy told reporters in Houston Sunday that Scherzer would even be available in a Game 1 extra-inning situation
Sunday, Verlander got the Game 1 nod for the Astros, and he’d figure to start a Game 5 in Arlington, as well. Depending on how he comes out of his start, Scherzer figures to be available should the series extend to Games 6 or 7 back in Houston.
His return comes just in time. The Rangers gutted out a three-game sweep of Baltimore in the ALDS thanks to a successful “piggyback” game featuring Andrew Heaney and Dane Dunning. Now, in the best-of-seven format, they hope Scherzer can lengthen their rotation, along with Jon Gray, activated after a forearm strain and, Bochy says, hopefully will start one of the two or three games in Arlington.
Whenever and however Scherzer pitches, both clubs have the Mets to thank for fortifying them.
– Gabe Lacques
Astros vs. Rangers: ALCS Game 1 time, TV channel
Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers is scheduled to begin at 8:15 p.m., airing on Fox.
Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy, MLB's oldest managers face off
Astros manager Dusty Baker was asked before Game 1 about he and Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy being elder-statesmen:
"The thing that I remember talking to him about was when he retired: how many bottles of booze he got and how many rocking chairs he got," Baker said.
"I just told him, hey, I'm glad that you're back, I wish you went to another division, him and (pitching coach Mike Maddux. This is some of the respect I've got for him."
Astros, Rangers lineups and starting pitchers for ALCS Game 1
Texas Rangers
LHP Jordan Montgomery: 10-11 3.20 ERA in regular season – 3.27 ERA in 11 innings in 2023 postseason
- Marcus Semien (R) 2B
- Corey Seager (L) SS
- Mitch Garver (R) DH
- Adolis Garcia (R) RF
- Evan Carter (L) LF
- Jonah Heim (S) C
- Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
- Josh Jung (R) 3B
- Leody Taveras (S) CF
Houston Astros
RHP Justin Verlander: 13-8, 3.22 ERA regular season – 1-0, 6 IP, 0 ER in 2023 postseason
- Jose Altuve (R) 2B
- Alex Bregman (R) 3B
- Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
- Jose Abreu (R) 1B
- Kyle Tucker (L) RF
- Chas McCormick (R) LF
- Mauricio Dubon (R) CF
- Jeremy Pena (R) SS
- Martin Maldonado (R) C