Astros vs Rangers summary online: stats, scores and highlights | MLB ALCS Game 3 highlights
Astros undo Rangers, silencing Arlington crowd
Astros come to life, handing Rangers first post season loss
The Houston Astros are always dangerous, and while the Rangers were able to keep their bats muted in the first two games, they came to life in Game 3, handing the Texas Rangers their first post season loss.
It opened up in the second inning with two costly errors which opened the scoring and in the end were the difference in the game. First, Yordan Álvarez was hit by an 0-2 pitch, and then a wild pitch allowed him to score later in the inning. Along the way, two more crossed the plate before the Rangers could put a stop to it and the Astros never looked back.
Although Texas were able to stay close with two identical "bloop and blast" plays in the fifth and the seventh, the reality is that they were shut down completely by Cristian Javier. Twice, Nathaniel Lowe tapped a little single followed by Josh Jung blasting a home run, but apart from those moments, the Rangers could barely touch the baseball.
On the Astros side, José Altuve opened up his ALCS hitting with a home run to center field, while Yordan Álvarez, Mauricio Dubón, Jeremy Peña, and even Martín Maldonado had RBIs. The Astros offense was not a home run blasting machine, but rather a slow grind, pushing runners over, 90 feet at a time.
The complexion of Game 4 is now different to what it was just a few hours ago. While the Rangers are still up in the series, leading two games to one, the Astros are in a stronger position. They are comfortable here in Arlington, having swept the Rangers here just six weeks ago.
They are also likely to have the edge in the starting pitcher, with Jose Urquidy the strongest possibility. The Rangers had to use Martín Pérez, who was a possible starter for Game 4, to finish this one out which would seem to remove him from the list of possible starters, meaning they could start either Andrew Heany or Dane Dunning. Either of those means that the game is almost certainly going to be a bullpen game, and the Rangers bullpen has been their biggest question mark all season.
There is still a lot to do by either team, but it looks like Rangers hopes that this series would be swift and decisive may have just gone out the window. Get ready for a long war of attrition, this one could go all the way to the wire.
GOODBYE!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of ALCS Game 3 between the Astros and Rangers. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Keep abreast of all MLB and sports news with Diario AS USA and stick with us as we bring you the full playoff season live.
We will return tomorrow with Game 4 of the ALCS as the Astros and Rangers do is all over again.
Until then, good night and God bless!
Rangers first post season loss
We do it all again tomorrow!
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Series now 2-1
The Astros take game three
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The Astros pull one back
Winning on the road
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Astros win
Josh Jung up now and taps a slow roller to short. Peña to second for one, on to first for the second and that is it! The Astros win!
Nathaniel Lowe the hitter now and he he goes down swinging on three pitches. One down
Pich runner
Travis Jankowski comes on to run for Mitch Garver.
Garver runs the count full. Pressly's payoff delivery misses and Garver draws a walk.
Bottom 9th
Mitch Garver leads things off for the Rangers and they are down to their last three outs.
Pitching change
The Astros bring on Ryan Pressly to try and slam the door closed
Kyle Tucker the hitter and he rips a long shot to right field! Over Garcia's head and off the wall! Yordan Álvarez rounds third and tries for home but Adolis Garcia's throw is on the money and Heim tags him out at the plate!
José Abreu up now and he fouls off three to stay alive in a deep hole. He lifts the sixth delivery into foul territory by first base. Nathaniel Lowe gets under it and puts it away. Two down.
Yordan Álvarez the hitter and he works the count full. Pérez's payoff is rapped into the corner in right field. Álvarez wisely holds up at first with Adolis Garcia firing a rocket to second base. Two Cubans give smiling nods at each other!
Top 9th
Alex Bregman leads off for the Astros and takes the first pitch to deep center field. It backs Leody Taveras up to the wall but he brings it in for the first out.
Jonah Heim up now and he lifts a routine fly ball to center field. Mauricio Dubón gets under it and ends the inning but the Rangers are not quite dead yet, pulling one run back to make it 8-5
Rangers score
Adolis Garcia the hitter and he pokes the second delivery to the right side and it squirts through for a single. Semien scores from second and the Rangers claw one back.
Evan Carter up now and he chops a high bouncer to second. Carter sprints up the line but the throw from Altuve is in time. 2 out. Semien advances to second on the play
Corey Seager the hitter now and he lifts the first pitch to left field for Michael Brantley. One down.
Bottom 8th
Marcus Semien will lead things off for Texas and Abreu has some trouble finding the strike zone, issuing a five-pitch walk.
Pitching change
Bryan Abreu will take over from Hector Neris.
Michael Brantley will face the new pitcher and he rolls one to second for Marcus Semien. The throw to first ends the inning but the Astros add one more, stretching that lead to 8-4
The runs keep coming
Here is how that run was scored
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Pitching change
Jon Gray's first outing since returing from injury is done as Bruce Bochy goes to his bullpen and taps Martin Perez.
José Altuve up now and he works a full count, getting lucky on a couple of those calls. He could have been rung up twice.
The payoff delivery is lined to short. Seager gets to it and goes to third for the force out.
Maldonado chases the third delivery and goes down swinging. One down
Martín Maldonado the hitter with runners at first and second and nobody out. Maldy squares to bunt the first delivery but fouls it back. He tries again on the second delivery and fouls that back too. He is in a hole 0-2, quickly.
Astros score
Jeremy Peña up now and he goes after the first pitch as well, shooting a single through to the right side! Tucker scores from third, and Dubón stops at second.
Mauricio Dubón up now and jumps on the first pitch, destroying his bat and flaring it out to right field for a single. Tucker is speedy and he is in at third.
Top 8th
Kyle Tucker leads things off for the Astros and the count runs to 3-0 on a pitch clock violation. The next delivery misses and Tucker draws a three-pitch walk.
Jung does the heavy lifting
He is responsible for all their runs
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Leody Taveras up now and he chases the first pitch, lifting one to left but right at Michael Brantley to end the inning.
But the Rangers are back in the game, with another Josh Jung two-run homer. They trail the Astros now after seven by a score of 7-4
JOSH JUNG HOME RUN
Josh Jung the batter now and he does it again! Straight away center! Jung hits his second of the game!
All four runs for the Rangers have come on two run homers by Josh Jung!
Nathaniel Lowe the hitter and he rips a ground ball to right field for a two out single.
Mitch Garver up now and he falls behind 1-2 before chasing a high fastball for strike three.
Bottom 7th
Jonah Heim will lead things off for the Rangers and they are in a deep hole here, needing to get something started soon if they have any hope of staying in this game.
Heim jumps on the first pitch and lifts it to right field, but right at Kyle Tucker. That won't be good enough.
Alvarez knocks them in
Here is the shot
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José Abreu will face the new pitcher and lifts the first one he sees into shallow center for Taveras to end the inning. But the Astros have tacked on two more and now lead 7-2
Pitching change
That is going to do it for Will Smith. It was not his night.
Jon Gray will come out to take over.
Astros score
Álvarez lifts a little nubber into shallow center field for a single! Martin Maldonado scores! Jose Altuve scores! Alex Bregman goes to third and the Astros are not done yet!
Yordan Álvarez the hitter now and this is what Smith was hoping to avoid. The bases are loaded and two outs and the most dangerous hitter on this Astros roster at the plate.
Alex Bregman the hitter and he draws the walk on five pitches. The bases are loaded!
Michael Brantley will face the new pitcher with men on first and second and one out. He lifts the second delivery into center field for Leody Taveras. Two away.
Pitching Change
That is going to do it for Chris Stratton. Will Smith will come out and try to shut this rally down.
José Altuve up now and rips the 2-2 into left field for a single. Martin Maldonado stops at second and the Astros have back to back singles.
Martín Maldonado the hitter and he flares a little shot to center field for a single. That is his second hit of the game!
Top 7th
Jeremy Peña leads off for the Astros and he chops one to short for Corey Seager. The throw to first gets him.
Brantley's defense is incredible!
What a catch!
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Adolis Garcia to face the new pitcher with a runner on second and two outs. He cranks a monster shot to left center! Michael Brantley is on the dead run and catches up to it! WOW!
That is now two amazing defensive plays, one by each team that has saved runs!
Pitching change
Dusty Baker taking no chances and goes into his bullpen for Hector Neris to take over from Cristian Javier. Javier has been sensational! Tip your hat.
Double
Evan Carter up now and fouls off three to bring the count to 2-2. The delivery is rapped to right field, and over the head of Kyle Tucker! Carter is in with a two out double. That was a hard lined shot!
Corey Seager the hitter now and he works the count full. Javier's payoff delivery is lifted a mile high, but not quite that far, as Mauricio Dubón is able to get under it on the track for the second out.
Bottom 6th
The top of the Rangers order leading off in the sixth and Marcus Semien lifts one to shallow left field for Michael Brantley. One down.
Dubón lifts the next delivery out to fight field, but Garcia goes back to the track and gets it to end the inning.
Mauricio Dubón the hitter now with one on and two out. Stratton misses the first pitch before Dubón fouls the second back. 1-1. Dubón fouls another back and he is down 1-2 in the count.
Kyle Tucker up now and he draws a walk on five pitches.
José Abreu to hit now and jumps on the first delivery from Stratton, lining it to right field but right at Adolis Garcia. Two down
The catch
Taveras just took this one away
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Pitching change
That will do it for Cody Bradford. Bruce Bochy reaches into that bullpen and calls on Chris Stratton to take over.
Top 6th
Yordan Álvarez leads things off for Houston and he drives a long shot to center field! Leody Taveras is back, at the wall, he leaps and catches it! That was a home run robbed by Taveras! What a catch!
Jung's homer
The Rangers are alive after all
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Leody Taveras up now and he lifts one to left field, but right at Michael Brantley who puts it away to end the inning.
But the Rangers get on the board, clawing two back. After five innings it is Astros 5, Rangers 2
JOSH JUNG HOME RUN
Josh Jung the hitter and he fouls off the first two to fall in a hole 0-2.
Javier juussstt misses with a ball inside, before the next delivery is lifted to right center field. It carries! It carries and just makes it over the wall! Josh Jung claws two back for Texas!
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he rips a two-out single into left field. That is the first base hit by the Rangers tonight. It only took them five innings to do it!
Mitch Garver the hitter now and he chases the second pitch, ripping a shot to third, but Bregman gets to it. The throw to first in time for the second out.
Bottom 5th
Jonah Heim leads off for Texas and he lifts a little blooper to challow left. Bregman charges backward and gets to it to put it away for the first out.
Alex Bregman to the plate now and he rips the second delivery to right field. Adolis Garcis gets on his horse and catches up with it to end the inning.
Michael Brantley the hitter now and he pops one high in the air to shallow left. Third baseman Josh Jung drifts back and puts it away for out number two.
Top 5th
José Altuve leads off for Houston and jumps on the first pitch, hitting it deep to center field! It is a long way, but seems to die just in front of the wall. Leody Taveras gets there and puts it away.
Pitching change
The Rangers will go to the bullpen and call on Cody Bradford to take over from Max Scherzer.
Adolis Garcia up now and he jumps on the second pitch, lifting it to straightaway center but directly at Mauricio Dubon. Three up, three down.
Evan Carter the hitter now and he goes down singing on a beautiful slider.
Bottom 4th
Corey Seager will lead things off for the Rangers here and lifts one out to left center field, but Dubón is able to get to it for out number one.
That last one
Just to add another
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Altuve's homer
Altuve hit this one well
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The opening scoring
Here is how the scoring opened up
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Martín Maldonado the hitter and he falls behind 1-2 in the count. Scherzer delivers a slider that touches the corner to catch Maldy out looking to end the inning. But the Astros add another and extend that lead to 5-0
Jeremy Peña up now with one out and a runner on first. He falls behind 1-2 in the count. Scherzer delivers a peach of a curve and Peña goes down swinging. Two down.
Astros score
Mauricio Dubón the hitter and he falls behind 1-2 quickly. He stays strong on two in the dirt to run the count full> Scherzer's payoff is ripped to center field! Abreu scores from third!
Kyle Tucker up now and he rolls one to second. Semien goes to first for the out, but Abreu advances to third on the play.
Top 4th
José Abreu will lead things off for Houston here in the fourth and he jumps on the first pitch, ripping it to the gap in center for a leadoff double!
Semien watches another ball and then the 2-2 delivery is chopped to short. The throw to first is off line, but Abreu manages to keep his foot on the bag to end the inning.
The delivery from Javier is a slider for a strike. Semien takes the next pitch a ball outside. Taveras takes off on the next pitch and Semien fouls it off. He had that base stolen, but he will have to go back.
Marcus Semien the hitter now and the Astros will have a pow wow on the mound. Taveras is always a base stealing threat and they are clearly concerned that he might go now, try to get into scoring position.
Leody Taveras the hitter now for Texas and he runs the count full. Javier's payoff delivery misses wide for ball four. Taveras draws the two out walk.
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Josh Jung up now and he watches a slider that just catches the outside corner for strike three.
Bottom 3rd
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for Texas in the third and he lifts one out to center for Mauricio Dubon. One away
Álvarez takes two balls and the count runs full. Scherzer's delivery is popped into left, just behind short. Corey Seager drifts back and ends the inning. But the Astros add one more, stretching the lead to 4-0
Yordan Álvarez the hitter and his hit-by-pitch started off the scoring in the second. He falls behind here 1-2 before there is a pause for pitch com issues. Scherzer can't hear.
Alex Bregman up now and he lifts a pop fly to shallow center. Marcus Semien drifts back from second and puts it away for the second out.
Michael Brantley the hitter now and he lifts one out to left center. Evan Carter drifts over and puts it away. One down.
JOSE ALTUVE HOME RUN
Altuve takes the next pitch and hammers it to left center field! That is his first hit of the ALCS and he puts it in the cheap seats! Home run Altuve!
Top 3rd
The top of the Astros order now in the third as José Altuve will lead off. Scherzer delivers a ball. Altuve fouls the next one off and whiffs the following pitch to fall behind 1-2.
Mitch Garver up now and he works the count full. Javier's payoff delivery is driven to deep right field, but not deep enough. Kyle Tucker tracks it down at the wall for out number three.
At the end of two, it is Astros 3, Rangers 0.
Jonah Heim the hitter now and he lifts a high pop fly to third for Bregman. Two down.
Bottom 2nd
Adolis Garcia leads off for the Rangers he chops one to third. An easy one for Alex Bregman. The throw to first is in time. One down.
Astros score
The next pitch is ripped into left field! Tucker scores! The throw to the plate is not in time and Dubón scores! Maldonado tries to stretch the single into a double and the throw from Heim is in time to end the inning.
But the Astros jump out to a 3-0 lead! This is only the second time in the post season that the Rangers have trailed.
Astros score
Martín Maldonado the hitter now and the second pitch is a curve in the dirt that kicks away from Jonah Heim! Álvarez scores from third! The Astros draw first blood.
Jeremy Peña up now with one out and bases loaded. He lifts one to shallow center field. Marcus Semien drifts back from second and makes the catch. Two down.
Mauricio Dubón the hitter and he is aggressive at the plate. Runners in scoring position for him and he fouls off the first pitch before ripping the second into left for a single! They hold Álvarez at third, probably for that hurt foot and with Carter's great arm that might have been a good idea.
Kyle Tucker to the plate and he was key to getting the Astros here, but has struggled in the post season. He manages to hold off and gets a 3-1 count. Scherzer delivers a curve in the dirt and Tucker draws the walk. Álvarez goes to second.
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José Abreu up now and he falls behind 1-2, just about able to hold off on a check swing. The delivery from Scherzer is a beauty of a fastball on the bottom rung for a called strike three.
Top 2nd
Yordan Álvarez will lead off for Houston here and there are reports that he is suffering with a stomach bug. If so, it doesn't seem to have affected his swing. Even sick, he is better than most.
Scherzer goes after him and gets two stikes on him then hits him in the foot with a cutter.
Evan Carter now up and he runs the count full. He is not going to expand that zone much and the payoff delivery is a fastball on the bottom edge that gets Carter out swinging. So 1-2-3 go both sides in the first.
Corey Seager the hitter now and he lifts the first pitch out to center field. Mauricio Dubón gets under it and there are two away.
Semien lifts the next delivery to shallow right. José Altuve drifts back from second and brings it in for out number one.
Bottom 1st
Houston is out on the field now and Cristian Javier is on the mound facing Marcus Semien to get things going. The opening delivery is a fastball high for ball one.
Alex Bregman up now and he lifts one out to right center field. Both Garcia and Taveras call for it, with Taveras taking it in the end. A 1-2-3 inning for Texas.
Michael Brantley the hitter now and Scherzer goes right at him. Fastball, fastball, curve and Brantley strikes out swinging.
First pitch
The Rangers are on the field and the crowd are incredibly loud! Max Scherzer is ready and will face José Altuve to get things started here.
The delivery is rapped a long way to deep center but not deep enough. Leody Taveras gets under it by the wall and puts it away.
We are off!
Key to the game?
How far can Max go?
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Roof closed
Like in Houston, Globe Life wants fans to become part of the action.
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Out of nowhere
This is why boots-on-the-ground old fashioned scouts are still the best tool in baseball.
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Get that BP in
Teams are gearing up
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PITCHING MATCHUP PREVIEW
Jared Sandler talks about the keys to the matchup
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LINEUPS
The Home Team
Rangers Batting Order
1. Semien (2B) *R
2. Seager (SS) *L
3. Carter (LF) *L
4. García (RF) *R
5. Heim (C) *S
6. Garver (DH) *R
7. Lowe (1B) *L
8. Jung (3B) *R
9. Taveras (CF) *S
The Visitors
Astros Batting Order
1. Altuve (2B) *R
2. Brantley (LF) *L
3. Bregman (3B) *R
3. Álvarez (DH) *L
5. Abreu (1B) *R
6. Tucker (RF) *L
7. Dubón (CF) *R
2. Peña (SS) *R
9. Maldonado (C) *R
STARTING PITCHERS REGULAR SEASON STATS
HOUSTON ASTROS
Cristian Javier (RHP)
10 - 5
4.56 ERA
159 K
162.0 IP
1.27 WHIP
TEXAS RANGERS
Max Scherzer (RHP)
13 - 6
3.77 ERA
174 K
152.2 IP
1.12 WHIP
PITCHING
The Astros will start Cristian Javier who has been up and down in this rotation this season, but has rebounded in the playoffs, throwing five scoreless innings against the Twins in the Division Series. One thing that Javier has is post season experience. At only 26 years old, he already has 16 post season games under his belt. Nothing that the Rangers throw at him will make him nervous.
And when it comes to experience on the mound, the Rangers are no slouches either. They will be going with Max Scherzer in his first game back after spending a month on the injured list. He is a shoo-in Hall of Famer and has a ton of playoff experience, including a World Series win from his time with the Nationals.
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 3 of this historic All-Texas ALCS matchup between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers as the series moves north to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The storylines of this matchup are as wild and as diverse as any in the world of sport. The Rangers spent most of the regular season in the role of unstoppable juggernaut, then finished the season looking like a triple-A team, and now have stormed back to seven postseason wins in a row, tying the record for the longest playoff starting win streak. The other team with that record? The 2022 Houston Astros.
Game 3 is a key moment in any series. If you are up, it puts you firmly in the driving seat. If you are down, it can be the back breaker.
It is also, whether up or down, the game that sees the series shift location, removing home field advantage for one team, handing it to another.
But in this world, where nothing is as it seems, that advantage may well shift, not away from the Astros, but toward them. Houston has an uncanny knack for winning on the road, much more than any other team in baseball.
In this binary world where everything is either good or evil, where hyperbole is the order of the day, the Houston Astros have taken on the role of the most hated team in American sports. And they love it.
There is something innately Texan about their attitude, one that says, “If you don’t like us, then beat us.” It is a challenge that has roots in the struggle for Texan independence when defenders of Gonzales, Texas used the ancient Greek “Molon Labe” as a response to Mexican authorities. It is a challenge that the Rangers have co-opted for their own boys in their 2023 post season slogan “Go and take it.”
Two Texas-sized teams with egos to match, both with the skill to back up their bravado.
With a 2-0 lead in the ALCS, the temptation is to see this as a fore-ordained thing. Texas looks unstoppable again, and they will steamroll their way to the World Series, come what may. But then, on the other side, sit the Astros.
Houston are never out of a series until the final pitch of the last game. Just ask the 2020 Rays, or last season’s Yankees. You can get up on the Astros, but they will always be a pit viper, ready to turn the tables until the very end.