Altuve keys win in ‘playoff ’ atmosphere

ARLINGTON — The Astros arrived at Globe Life Field on Friday on unfamiliar ground. Not since 2016 had Houston reached a full season’s mathematical midpoint out of first place in the AL West. Few holdovers from that roster and coaching staff remain. Sustained recent success has offered little reminder.

The reigning champions awoke Friday five games behind a Rangers team having a resurgence. Not since 2016 has Texas posted a winning season. It appears poised to end that drought with a retooled rotation and an offense ravaging opposing pitching. Four games at the Rangers’ field figured to present a test.

As Jose Altuve approached the plate to begin Friday’s opener, the sound swelled to meet him. A sellout crowd of 39,174 split by same-state loyalties clashed audibly. It would continue throughout a 5-3 Astros win that resembled few of the recent meetings between these teams.

“It felt like a playoff game tonight,” Astros outfielder Chas McCormick said.

“I think this one was kind of like a playoff game, absolutely,” Altuve agreed. “A lot of people today, a lot of energy, adrenaline, for both teams.”

The Rangers entered scoring nearly six runs per game and leading the American League in team OPS. A pitching staff that was supposed to be led by prized signing Jacob deGrom has withstood his loss to season-ending injury. In the hours before Friday’s first pitch, Texas finalized a trade for veteran reliever Aroldis Chapman, a fireballer to help fuel its attempt to end the Astros’ run atop the division.

Minutes before news of the deal emerged, Astros manager Dusty Baker was asked about his team going into this series as the one needing to make up ground.

“You can have as much fun hunting as you can being hunted,” Baker said.

That the Astros went 44-37 in their first half is laudable. Three-fifths of their projected rotation missed most or all of it to injuries. Rookies have filled the void. Their second baseman and offensive spark-plug missed the first 43 games with a broken thumb. Their top slugger has missed the last 19, and counting, due to an oblique injury.

June saw the Astros sustain a stretch of 11 losses in 15 games before winning five of the next eight. That brought them to Friday and arguably these teams’ biggest series in Arlington since another four-game meeting in September 2015, which the Rangers swept to leapfrog Houston en route to a division title. Much more of this season remains. Yet the Astros were not denying this weekend’s significance.

“I wanted to come into tonight’s game like it was a playoff game,” McCormick said. “I think we all did.”

And then, into the context and clamor, strode Altuve for its first at-bat. Rangers righthander Jon Gray poured a first-pitch fastball into the top of the strike zone. Altuve struck a drive to center field. Leody Taveras chased it to the wall in a futile pursuit. The 34th leadoff home run of Altuve’s career, and first this season, gave the Astros a lead one pitch into the series.

“It gets it going,” Mauricio Dubón said. “If he goes, we go. That’s something that’s been going on for a while. And him hitting the first pitch of the game, it’s a ‘him’ moment.”

Altuve played in just his 29th game of the season Friday. A broken thumb and other minor injuries cost him most of the first half, and a full second half from him is one element that could propel the Astros. Altuve went 1-for-5 on Friday but drove in two runs. He has scored seven runs and driven in six in the last four games he played around a two-game absence with heel soreness.

“For Altuve to do that, especially first pitch, dead-center, was pretty awesome,” McCormick said.

Altuve said he wasn’t certain what kind of tone, if any, the home run set for the game or the series.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think it’s always good to score before the other team — especially the team we’re playing. They’re in first place, they’re a really good team. I think by scoring first we create some momentum. They went ahead, but then we came back.”

Houston’s sixth-inning rally hinged on an at-bat by Dubón, who tried to sacrifice bunt with two runners on and no outs and failed twice. Dubón, who’d been bunting on his own, then lined an inside fastball by Gray into the left-field corner to score both runners and give the Astros a 4-3 lead. Dubón said he was “trying to do my job” in bunting to advance the runners.

“I wanted him to swing in that situation,” Baker said. “He was trying to play baseball. I was telling him, ‘Let me do the thinking, you do the playing.’ ”

Baker also noted Dubón’s value in helping the Astros compile their record to this point. Dubón often played second base and led off with Altuve sidelined for the first 43 games. He’s filled in for José Abreu at first base and Friday started at shortstop with Jeremy Peña out due to neck stiffness.

“We’re a good team,” Dubón said. “We know what we can do. It’s a long year. So we’re just going to continue doing what we’re doing right now.”

As Baker noted pregame, each game of this series is essentially two, a full game made up or lost in the standings, and there are fewer head-to-head matchups this year under the new balanced schedule. Texas won two of three in Houston in April. The teams meet again in Houston in late July and in Arlington in early September. Each series gains significance if the clubs maintain their current course.

Friday, McCormick said he caught himself looking around the stands at Globe Life Field and: “I didn’t realize how packed it was.” McCormick deemed it “huge” for the Astros to secure the series opener. Three chances to gain further ground still loomed. Houston started rookie Hunter Brown on Saturday opposite Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers’ best starter in the first half.

“We have to win at least two in this series,” McCormick said. “It was big to win tonight. But we have to show up tomorrow, because they’re going to definitely show up tomorrow.”