Rangers’ hot streak has Astros down 0-2
HOUSTON — Jonah Heim homered, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six effective innings and the Texas Rangers beat Framber Valdez and Houston Astros 5-4 on Monday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series.
Adolis García, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe each hit an RBI single during Texas' fourrun first inning against Valdez, and José Leclerc closed it out for the Rangers after Yordan Alvarez powered an Astros rally.
Eovaldi struck out nine, including two in a row after Houston loaded the bases with none out in the fifth. He was charged with three runs and five hits in his third win this postseason.
The Rangers improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, including six wins on the road. They swept the Rays in the Wild Card Series and the Orioles in the Division Series, and then posted a 2-0 win at Houston in the ALCS opener.
Game 3 of the best-ofseven series is Wednesday night in Arlington.
PHILLIES 5 DIAMONDBACKS 3
Bryce Harper smashed the first pitch he saw on his 31st birthday into the seats, Kyle Schwarber hit his first homer of the postseason and Nick Castellanos also went deep again to power Philadelphia past Arizona in Game 1 of the NLCS.
Harper held up three fingers on his left hand and one on his right and pretended to blow them out like candles on a cake as he crossed the plate. Harper, who also walked, scored twice and knocked in two runs, hit his 10th homer in two postseasons with the Phillies.
Zack Wheeler struck out eight in six innings to help the defending National League champions win their seventh Game 1 of the last two postseasons.
Wheeler sawed two bats in half during the first two innings, leaving the Diamondbacks with more pieces of busted lumber than hits through five.
José Alvarado got four big outs on 15 pitches and Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless ninth for the save.