The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers’ American League Championship Series Game 5 has it all, from a stunning go-ahead home run to a bench-clearing incident. In the end, the Astros prevailed 5-4 thanks to heroics in the last inning, gaining a 3-2 series lead.
These three lessons can be learned from the Astros’ huge victory.
In the playoffs, Jose Altuve is a clutch captain: In the ninth inning, the Astros were behind the Rangers 4-2; however, Altuve came up with three outs remaining for Houston. In the nick of time, he gave the Astros a 5-4 lead when he upper-cut a 0-1 pitch from closer Jose Leclerc out of the ballpark with two men on. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Altuve has now passed Albert Pujols for the record with 10 career go-ahead postseason long balls. Altuve’s lone hit of the contest came at the perfect moment, as it put the Astros one victory away from winning the World Series once more.
Rangers may have awakened the Astros following Adolis Garcia HBP: In his second at-bat, Rangers right fielder Adolis Garcia was hit by a fastball that appeared to have questionable intentions in the bottom of the eighth inning, two innings after he had blasted a go-ahead three-run home run. A few people were ejected as a result of benches clearing. Leclerc was waiting in the bench to finish the ninth inning after entering the game the inning before, so it’s possible that the 11-minute break in play had a detrimental effect on him. In the ninth, Leclerc gave up a three-run blast to Altuve, blowing the save and the fifth game after allowing the first two batters he faced to reach.
ALCS home team struggles continue despite Garcia’s seemingly game-changing sixth-inning bomb, which was halted by Altuve’s heroic play. The home team has won all five ALCS games after the Astros’ victory on Friday. The Rangers won the first two in Houston before losing three straight at Globe Life Field. It’s not good news for Houston, though, since they will need to finish the run if they want to win the championship when Games 6 and maybe 7 are played there.
