Rangers stay perfect, take 2-0 ALCS lead on Astros

Texas Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi heard teammates in the visiting dugout comment on the crowd noise at Minute Maid Park, but his focus not only shielded him from the raucous throng, it also enabled him to zero in and execute when the moment was most dire.

Adolis Garcia, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe recorded RBI singles in a four-run first inning before Eovaldi escaped a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the fifth, and Texas held on for a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with Game 3 set for Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are unbeaten this postseason, having won six of their seven games on the road.

“It’s huge,” Eovaldi said of the series lead. “The momentum is in our favor, but can’t let the guard down. The Astros are an incredible team, and they have the lineup from top to bottom. They have good pitching. And we’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing, and we bring this momentum back home.”

The Rangers survived a home run barrage from the Astros, with designated hitter Yordan Alvarez slugging solo homers in the second and eighth innings. His second blast of the game and sixth of this postseason came off Rangers left-hander Aroldis Chapman with two outs and pulled the Astros to within a run.

Texas closer Jose Leclerc preserved that margin despite issuing back-to-back walks to Jose Abreu and Michael Brantley in the eighth. He retired the Astros in order in the ninth.

Texas ambushed Astros lefthander Framber Valdez (0-2) with five singles in the top of the first, and Valdez complicated matters by committing two errors on a grounder back to the mound by Robbie Grossman. That misplay enabled Marcus Semien to score from second base and opened the floodgates as Garcia, Garver and Lowe delivered hits to extend the lead to 4-0.

Eovaldi allowed three runs on five hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six innings.

The Astros’ woes at Minute Maid Park continued unabated. After finishing 39-42 at home during the regular season, the Astros have dropped three of four games in Houston this postseason.

Early HRs propel Phils past D-backs in opener

First, Kyle Schwarber did what he often does in the playoffs.

Then, Bryce Harper did what he’s always wanted to do on his birthday.

Schwarber led off Game 1 of the National League Championship Series with a first-pitch homer, and Harper, celebrating his 31st birthday, homered one out later to spark the host Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where Aaron Nola is slated to start for the reigning NL champion Phillies against Merrill Kelly.

Schwarber, who entered Monday hitting .160 with no homers, one RBI and 10 strikeouts in 25 at-bats this postseason, sent the already enthusiastic crowd of 45,396 into a frenzy by hitting Zac Gallen’s first pitch – a 92 mph fastball – 420 feet into the right field bleachers.

After Trea Turner lined out, Harper homered on the first pitch he saw from Gallen for his fourth homer of these playoffs and his 10th homer in the last two postseasons. He’s the fourth player to go deep in a playoff game on his birthday, joining Willie Mays Aikens (1980), current Diamondbacks third baseman Evan Longoria (2013) and Kolten Wong (2015) in the club.

Harper is performing in the playoffs for the sixth time in his 12-year career, but Monday marked the first time he played on his birthday. The Washington Nationals were eliminated in the Division Series in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 and the Phillies had an off day last October 16, one day after they closed out a four-game win over the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

“I’ve always wanted to play on my birthday,” Harper said in a pregame interview. “I’ve always wanted to do this, so I’m excited to have the opportunity and the chance to do it.” (Reuters)