Rangers vs Astros summary online: stats, scores and highlights | MLB ALCS Game 6 highlights
Rangers respond emphatically in Houston
Adolis Garcia silences Houston crowd with dramatic Grand Slam
The Rangers had their backs against the wall. They had to win. Had to. So the drama was inbuilt to the game. Particularly when you consider the height of emotion amongst the Astros fanbase over Game 5, centering that emotion onto one player: Adolis Garcia.
That ready-made drama got doubled over, drizzled with another layer, and served back tonight as this game gave us everything we want in a baseball game.
The Astros went ahead, then the Rangers tied it up. Both Texas catchers, Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver hit home runs. José Altuve hit a home run.
The game was tight, and the pitching was phenomenal. Framber Valdez gave up three runs in five innings, Nathan Eovaldi gave up two in six.
Martín Maldonado, the third member of that soap opera in Game 5, was hit by a pitch, trotting coolly down to first without histrionics. To the delight of the Houston fans, Adolis Garcia struck out four times. They booed louder than any that I have been witness to everytime he approached the plate. They cheered raucously when he swung and missed.
The highlight was when Bryan Abreu, who had earlier been suspended for two games by MLB, came on in relief. He is appealing the suspension, making him eligible pending the outcome. Facing Adolis Garcia, he managed to fan him and the crowd knew that some cosmic justice had prevailed.
But then, in the eighth inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Garcia stepped to the plate. The boos rang out, louder than ever. And with one swing of the bat, the crowd was silenced. Adolis Garcia blasted a rocket of a line drive that flew to the left field stands with almost no arc. Just flat and hard. A grand slam.
And with that, the Rangers found new life, forcing a Game 7, evening the odds once again. The Rangers will pitch Max Scherzer and the Astros will call on Cristian Javier. Only this time, it will be do or die for both teams.
This is the Game 7 that this series deserves. These are, with all due respect to Philadelphia and Arizona, the two best teams in baseball today. This ALCS is the World Series. No matter what happens in the future, these two teams have left it all on the line against a worthy opponent.
Goodbye!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of ALCS Game 6 between the Rangers and Astros. 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 7 of this super charged contest!
Until then, good night and God bless!
RANGERS WIN!
Michael Brantley up now and he taps the first pitch to the mound. Heaney flips it to first and that is it! The Rangers win and this is going to Game 7!
José Altuve now the hitter and he rolls one to short for Seager. The throw and we have two away.
Bottom 9th
Yainer Díaz will pinch hit for Martín Maldonado in the leadof spot. He slaps the first pitch to short for Seager. the throw to first is in time.
Pitching change
Andrew Heaney will come on to close the door on Houston.
Jonah Heim up now and he lifts a routine one to right for Tucker to end the inning.
But the Rangers stretch their lead convincingly tacking on another five runs!
Travis Jankowski up now and he hits a smash to right field! Tucker goes back and it is almost a repeat of Jonah Heim! This time Tucker comes down with the ball though! What a catch!
GRAND SLAM ADOLIS GARCIA
Adolis Garcia up now and the crowd are still giving him an earful.
He smashes one over the left field wall! Garcia responds to the boos with an emphatic statement! GRAND SLAM ADOLIS GARCIA!
The Rangers go up 9-2!
Evan Carter the hitter now with the bases still loaded.
Stanek finds the strike zone for a strike before missing low. Carter fouls one off and it is 1-2.
A nasty splitter gets Carter swinging for strike three. One out
RANGERS SCORE
Corey Seager the hitter now with the bases loaded and nobody out. Stanek's second pitch hits Seager's foot! The Rangers score one the hard way!
Pitching change
Dusty Baker goes to the bullpen and Ryne Stanek will come out with an almighty job to do.
Marcus Semien stands in now with runners on first and second with nobody out. He gets a ball and whiffs at two fastballs to run the count 1-2.
A ball misses and it is 2-2.
Semien fouls off three pitches and this is becoming yet another deep at-bat for Montero.
Semien slaps the eighth pitch to left field for a single. Jung goes to third, Taveras to second, and the bases are loaded for the Rangers with no outs!
Leody Taveras the hitter and he chops it to the right side. Altuve fields it and bobbles the transfer! The same thing that happpened to Semien last night! Everybody is safe!
Top 9th
Josh Jung will lead off for the Rangers and he runs the count full. Montero's payoff is fouled back. And again, same result. Once more, same again.
The 10th delivery of the at bat misses outside! What a hard-earned walk for Jung.
Pitching change
Rafael Montero will take over for the Astros on the mound as Grae Kessinger takes over at short.
Singleton lays off the outside pitch for ball one. The next pitch catches the corner for strike one. 1-1
Singleton fouls it off and it is 1-2.
He takes a ball low and then another outside to run it full.
With bases loaded two out, the runners are going with the pitch.
Singleton fouls two back. They do it again. Singleton swings and misses at a fastball up! Leclerc gets out of a huge jam, they don't come bigger!
Heading into the ninth, it is Texas 4, Houston 2
Pinch hitter
Jon Singleton will hit for Jeremy Peña.
Mauricio Dubón up now and the Rangers are up against it here. One out and the bases loaded. He chases the first pitch for strike one.
Leclerc goes back with a cutter and Dubón can't lay off it for strike two. The next pitch is lined off the end of the bat directly at Corey Seager. That is a HUGE out!
Leclerc delivers a ball outside. A second one misses low. He misses a third inside. 3-0 on Tucker.
A four seamer is called strike one. Tucker watches ball four and the bases are loaded!
Pitching change
Kyle Tucker the hitter and the tying run is on base. Bruce Bochy decides that he won't take a chance here and brings on José Leclerc to face him.
José Abreu up now and he yanks a shot to left field for a single! Bregman goes to second.
Yordan Álvarez up now representing the tying run. This is the first time that Sborz has faced him.
The first pitch is fouled off. 0-1
Sborz delivers a back door curve for a called strike. 0-2
Álvarez chases a high fastball for strike three! One down.
Bottom 8th
Alex Bregman leads off for the Astros and he works the count full before the payoff from Sborz misses outside for a leadoff walk.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he goes down swinging on three pitches. The Astros limit the damage but the Rangers stretch their lead to 4-2
Jonah Heim the hitter now and he falls behind 1-2. The delivery is popped into shallow left center. Michael Brantley charges and makes a slidiing catch! That saved another run.
Pinch runner
Travis Jankowski will run for Garver
RANGERS SCORE
Mitch Garver the hitter now with a runner in scoring position. He takes three balls and a strike. 3-1
The delivery is driven into the left field corner for a double! Carter scores from second!
Garcia swings at the next two pitches and the crowd go wild!
Stolen base
Adolis Garcia the hitter and the crowd is vocal. The game is paused as there are problems with pitch com.
Once the technical issues are resolved, the matchup that everyone wants to see gets going.
Garcia takes a ball outside. The second pitch is a swinging strike and Evan Carter takes off. Maldy's throw is high and Carter would have beaten it anyway. Stolen base
Top 8th
Evan Carter will lead off for the Rangers and a check swing is rolled slowly to short. Carter has wheels and it looks like he beats the throw. He is called out! The Rangers send it to review.
The call is overturned and Carter is safe at first.
Pitching change
And like Lazarus rising from the tomb, the Astros bring on Bryan Abreu to take over on the mound! The crowd is ecstatic!
Abreu was suspended for two games, but he appealed it, which makes him eligible tonight, pending the hearing tomorrow. This is all kind of complicated because IF the Astros win and IF Abreu loses his appeal, then the Rangers would have grounds to appeal THIS game!
For now, though, he is in.
Double play
Michael Brantley to face the new pitcher and Sborz is having trouble finding the strike zone. Brantley won't expand even an inch and the count runs 2-1.
He chops one to second. Semien goes to second for one and the throw to first just in time! 4-6-3 double play!
Pitching change
Nathan Eovaldi has done excellent work, but Bruce Bochy will go to his bullpen now and tap Josh Sborz to take over.
José Altuve up now and he hits a foul ball that hits the roof. That is a long way up folks!
He takes two outside for balls. 2-1
Altuve flares one off the end of the bat that falls in behind second base for a single.
Bottom 7th
Martín Maldonado leads off for the Astros in the seventh and he takes a strike before ripping a line drive to left field but directly at Evan Carter for the first out.
Corey Seager up now with runners on first and second and two out. He fouls the first one off before taking two balls outside. He hits a hard grounder to first that comes off Abreu's glove! He recovers and flips it to the bag where Neris is in a footrace with Seager. Neris gets there in time and he is emotional! Slapping the ground, Neris jumps up and spikes the ball!
Marcus Semien stands in and he flares one out to left field for a two out base hit. Runners on first and second. Amazingly, he puts his batting gloves into his back pocket. The first base coach tells him to tuck it in.
Leody Taveras up now and goes after the first pitch, popping it up to shallow left. Jeremy Peña drifts back and puts it away.
Josh Jung up now and Neris has trouble finding the zone, throwing four straight balls for a walk.
Top 7th
Nathaniel Lowe leads off for the Rangers and he chops one to first for José Abreu, who takes it to the bag himself for the first out.
Pitching change
Hector Neris will take over for the Astros on the mound
Jeremy Peña up now and he chops one to short for Seager, who flips it to second for the force out to end the inning. But the Astros claw one back and trail at the end of six by a score of 3-2.
ASTROS SCORE
Mauricio Dubon to the plate and he lifts a high fly ball to right for Adolis Garcia. Yordan Alvarez tags up and scores on the play.
Kyle Tucker now and he chops one to first. Nathaniel Lowe goes to second for the force out. Yordan Alvarez advances to third.
Jose Abreu up now and he pokes a ground ball to right for a single. Yordan Alvarez goes to second.
Bottom 6th
Yordan Alvarez leads off and rips the first pitch into center for a leadoff single.
Jonah Heim the hitter and he rips the first one he sees, a hot shot to first fielded by Abreu behind the bag. Great catch! Abreu takes it to the bag to end the inning.
Mitch Garver up now and he lifts a fly ball into shallow center. Dubón gets under it and puts it away. Two down
The 0-2 from Maton is outside for a ball. 1-2
Garcia chases a slurve low and away for strike three.
Garcia watches a fastball for strike before banging one a mile to right field! It lands a couple of feet foul. That was soooooo close!
Top 6th
The villain of the day, Darth Vader himself, Adolis Garcia will lead off for the Rangers. The crowd are every bit as vocal as they were in the first inning.
Pitching change
The Astros will go to the bullpen, bringing on Phil Maton for Framber Valdez.
Alex Bregman now and he watches three balls miss outside. 3-0
Eovaldi's delivery is right down the middle for a called strike. 3-1
Bregman pops the next one up in foul territory near the plate. Jonah Heim gets under it and ends the inning.
Michael Brantley the hitter and he falls behind 0-2 before a fastball misses outside. 1-2
Evo delivers a splitter low that catches Brantley swinging through it for strike three.
José Altuve up now and he jumps on the first pitch, popping it into foul territory by third. Josh Jung drifts over and puts it away.
Bottom 5th
Martín Maldonado leads off and he takes a ball outside before a ball inside hits him on the elbow. The crowd goes nuts! They are livid about the whole Abreu issue and are giving it to Eovaldi!
Evan Carter to hit now and he works the count 2-2 before catching Carter swinging on a low cutter for strike three. The Astros get out of trouble with no damage.
Corey Seager now and he lines the first pitch directly to José Altuve! Everybody gets back on their bag. Two down.
Macrus Semien up now and he works a walk on five pitches. The Rangers have runners on first and second.
Leody Taveras to the plate and he hits one into the hole at short. Peña gets to it but has no chance at the throw with Taveras' speed. Infield hit.
Top 5th
Josh Jung leads off for the Rangers and he works the count full before swinging at a low curveball for strike three.
Jeremy Peña up now and he breaks his bat on the first pitch, dribbling it back to the mound. Eovaldi flips to first to end the inning.
Mauricio Dubón up now and he works the count full before the payoff is chopped to second for Semien. The throw to first is in time, two down
Bottom 4th
Evan Carter will replace Robbie Grossman in left field as the Rangers take the field in the fourth. Kyle Tucker leads off for the Astros and pops the first delivery from Eovaldi up behind the plate. Jonah Heim goes back and takes it for out number one.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he falls behind in the count 1-2 before chopping one to second for José Altuve. The throw to first ends the inning, but the Rangers have jumped out to a 3-1 lead on a Jonah Heim home run.
HOME RUN JONAH HEIM!
Jonah Heim the hitter and he drives a shot to right field. Kyle Tucker chases it and jumps! It is gone! Just out of the reach of Tucker! He missed it by inches, just inches! Two run home run Jonah Heim!
Mitch Garver up now and he gets two curveball called strikes. He fouls a delivery off, and then another. The 0-2 misses low. 1-2
Another misses outside and then low and all of a sudden it is a full count. The payoff delivery is poked through the gap at short for a single.
Adolis Garcia the hitter now and the booing is incredible! I have never heard anyone booed so loudly in my life!
Framber Valdez is having trouble hearing the pitch com it is so loud.
He falls behind 1-2, with each fouled off ball receiving an enormous cheer.
Garcia whiffs at strike three and the cheer is deafening.
Top 4th
Robbie Grossman leads off for the Rangers and jumps on the first pitch. It is deep to center field and Mauricio Dubón drifts back and takes it for out number one.
José Abreu to the plate and he takes a ball outside with two runners on and two outs.
Another ball in the dirt before a fastball catches the corner. The 2-1 is bounced to short and Seager flips it to Semien at second for the final out.
After three it is Houston 1, Texas 1.
Intentional walk
Yordan Álvarez up now and he gets intentionally walked.
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Alex Bregman the hitter and he gets two called strikes before two balls. The next delivery is a beautiful cutter that catches the corner for a called strike three.
Michael Brantley now up and he takes two balls low. The next delivery a cutter for a called strike. 2-1
Evo's delivery misses inside and the count goes 3-1 before the next pitch misses outside. That is Brantley's second walk of the night.
Bottom 3rd
José Altuve leads off and he jumps on the first pitch. It is a deep fly ball to center field and Leody Taveras brings it in on the warning track.
Corey Seager up now and he takes two high cutters for balls. He fouls of fthe next delivery and it is 2-1.
The fourth pitch hit his bat as he lays off, foul ball and it is 2-2. Valdez delvers a cutter low and away and Seager swings and misses.
Marcus Semien watches a ball outside before chasing another outside to even it at 1-1.
A curveball gets him to pop it up to first base. Jose Abreu takes it and it is now two away.
Top 3rd
Leody Taveras will lead off for the Rangers and he watches a first pitch strike. The next is fouled off and Taveras is in a hole here 0-2.
Taveras lays off the changeup down low. 1-2
He chops a slow roller to second for Altuve. The throw to first in time. One away
Martín Maldonado up now and he goes after the second delivery, ripping one to short for Seager. The throw to first and it is a 1-2-3 inning for the Rangers.
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Jeremy Peña now the hitter and he works the count full, before watching strike three go by him.
Bottom 2nd
Mauricio Dubón leads off for the Astros and he chops the first pitch to second for Semien. The throw to first and it is one down.
Double play
Josh Jung the hitter and the first two deliveries are called strikes. Jung taps a roller to short on the next delivery. Peña flips it to second for one, on to first for the second and the inning is over. 6-4-3
But the Rangers level the game with a solo home run, it is 1-1.
Nathaniel Lowe up now and he works the count to 2-2 before chipping one into right field for a single.
Jonah Heim to the plate now and he swings and misses at the first two pitches, curve balls. The third pitch is rolled to third base for Bregman. The throw to first is in time.
Top 2nd
Mitch Garver will lead off for the Rangers and he jumps on the first pitch and raps it into right field. OH MY! It carried! One swing and the game is tied! Home run Mitch Garver!
Kyle Tucker the hitter and he gets a called strike, three balls and another strike. The payoff delivery is a four seam fastball that Tucker can't catch up to. The Rangers get out of it but the Astros put one on the board. 1-0 Astros.
Jose Abreu up now and he jumps on the first pitch, lining it to short for Corey Seager. Two away.
Astros score
Yordan Álvarez up now and the first pitch misses and the second one jams him, but he nubs it into center field for a single! Altuve scores on the play! Brantley advances to second.
Alex Bregman up now with two on and nobody out. He can't hold up his check swing on the first pitch and the second misses outside. 1-1
Bregman fouls off the next pitch and it is 1-2.
Bregman lifts the next pitch into center field for Leody Taveras. It is not deep enough for Altuve to tag up.
Michael Brantley the hitter now and he takes a ball and a strike. The 1-1 misses low to make it 2-1.
Brantley fouls off the next delivery and the count evens at 2-2.
Eovaldi misses low with ball three as Altuve steals second. Heim's throw is good but Altuve had a HUGE jump.
The payoff pitch misses and Brantley is on with a walk.
Altuve takes two balls and a strike before slapping a base hit into right center to get things going.
Bottom 1st
The Rangers take the field now and their ace, maybe even the ace of the entire MLB this season, Nathan Eovaldi takes the mound. He will go to work against another player having a super season, and MVP type season, José Altuve.
Garcia gets behind on two quick strikes. The 0-2 delivery misses and makes it 1-2. Valdez delivers a beast of a curve ball that catches Garcia swinging for strike three. The crowd erupt in cheer!
Adolis Garcia the hitter now and the crowd erupts in boos. They really don't like him!
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Robbie Grossman the hitter now and he takes a cutter for strike one. The next pitch misses outside and the third is in the dirt. The 2-1 delivery from Valdez is a strike that just catches the paint outside and it is 2-2.
Valdez delivers a back door breaking ball that gets Grossman looking.
Corey Seager up now and he pops a high fly ball on the left side of the infield. Alex Bregman gets under it and puts it away for the first out.
Semien takes a ball outside, then two more that miss low. Valdez's 0-3 misses in and Semien gets a four pitch walk to start the game!
First pitch
The Astros are on the field as Game 6 comes back down south to Houston. They are ready to go and lined up behind Framber Valdez who will go to work on the top of the Rangers order.
He will face Marcus Semien to get things started.
Let's PLAY BALL!
STARTING LINEUPS
The Home Team
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
The Visitors
Rangers Batting Order
1. Semien (2B) *R
2. Seager (SS) *L
3. Grossman (LF) *S
4. García (RF) *R
5. Garver (DH) *R
6. Heim (C) *S
7. Lowe (1B) *L
8. Jung (3B) *R
9. Taveras (CF) *S
STARTING PITCHERS REGULAR SEASON STATS
HOUSTON ASTROS
Framber Valdez (LHP)
12 - 11
3.45 ERA
200 K
198.0 IP
1.13 WHIP
TEXAS RANGERS
Nathan Eovaldi (RHP)
12 - 5
3.63 ERA
132 K
144.0 IP
1.14 WHIP
PITCHING
The Astros will start Framber Valdez who has been a solid rock in this rotation all season, but has struggled in the playoffs, giving up three runs in Game 2 before he could register the first out. The Rangers jumped all over him from the first pitch and knocking him out in 2.2 innings for four runs.
The Rangers will field Nathan Eovaldi, who has the inverse story, falling into averageness over the late part of the regular season, but finding his form in the playoffs. The Astros found it hard to zero in on him in Game 2, scoring three runs on six inning pitched.
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to the Diario AS USA live commentary of Game 6 of this historic All-Texas ALCS matchup between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros from Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
Already a classic, this ALCS will be decided tonight. The Texas Rangers have their backs up against the wall. They are looking for their first pennant in a decade, and have dropped three in a row after going two games up to open the series. Their downfall, should it come to pass, would tie the 2020 Braves as the worst in history.
Houston is a different proposition. Another win and the Astros will go back to what would be their fifth appearance in the last seven years. They would have a chance at being the first team since the 2000 Yankees to repeat as champions.
The drama has been dripping off of this series, with a home team yet to win a game, home runs galore, and a bench clearing brawl that led to a two game suspension for Bryan Abreu. Fans on both sides are throwing insults at the other, with Astros fans in particular seething that Adolis Garcia was not sanctioned for his part in the melée.
It is not a foregone conclusion, however, that the Astros will win. For all of the hype in the world that the Rangers are choking and the Astros are inevitable, there is something to keep in mind. The fact that if this isn’t anything new for the Astros, neither are the Rangers in uncharted territory.
Throughout the 2023 season, the Rangers have ran hot and cold, one day unwatchable and the next day unbeatable. And while Game 5 may have boiled over, that can also mean that Game 6 will find a Texas team that is still red hot.
So, yes, this ALCS will be decided tonight. If the Astros win, it is all over. But it the Rangers win and force a Game 7, then the wave of inevitability may beging crashing in the other direction.