Astros, Jose Altuve Deliver Knock Out Punch In 9th To Stun Texas Rangers In ALCS Game 5

Jose Altuve delivers again in the postseason as the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 in a crucial Game 5 of the ALCS.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Both teams showed fight, including a benches-clearing scrum in the eighth, but the Houston Astros and Jose Altuve threw the final knockout punch over the Texas Rangers on Friday at Globe Life Field.

Altuve's three-run, ninth-inning home run against closer Jose Leclerc gave the Astros a 5-4 lead and they held on to take a wild Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

The Astros took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven ALCS and can earn a return trip to the World Series with a Game 6 win at 7:07 p.m. Sunday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The Rangers will try to force a Game 7 on Monday night.

In the bottom of the ninth, the first two Rangers reached on singles, but Marcus Semien lined out to short and Corey Seager flew out to center before Ryan Pressly struck out Evan Carter to end the game.

The Rangers looked destined to take Game 5 in the seventh. Adolis Garcia didn't waste any time. He got right to it.

On the first pitch he saw from Justin Verlander with two on and no outs in the seventh and the Texas Rangers trailing 2-1, Garcia ripped it 396 feet into the left-field stands for a three-run homer and 4-2 Rangers lead.

The Astros, however, wouldn't go quietly. The first two batters reached with a single and a walk to set up Altuve's heroics.

Garcia's three-run blast on Verlander's 95 mph fastball gave the Rangers their first lead in an ALCS game at home. In fact, neither team had led any game at home until Garcia ripped his homer with a 108 mph exit velocity.

In the eighth, Astros closer Bryan Abreu hit Garcia, which Garcia objected to with words to catcher Marin Maldonado. That caused both benches and bullpens to spill out for a scrum at home plate, just like during their game on July 26 in Houston.

Garcia and Abreu were ejected, and Astros manager Dusty Baker was ejected for arguing Abreu's ejection. The umpires concluded that Abreu intentionally hit Garcia, despite there being a baserunner and no outs and Houston trailing by two runs. Baker was likely arguing that there was no way his pitcher wanted to put Garcia on base.

Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery held the Astros to two runs on five hits and two walks but trailed 2-1 after going 5 1/3. The Astros scored a run in the sixth to take a 2-1 lead after Alex Bregman walked and Yordan Alvarez and Jose Abreu followed with singles. Abreu's single was a one-hopper off of Corey Seager's glove which was called a single by the official scorer but it's a play Seager has made.

ALCS Game 5: Astros 5, Rangers 4

Here are the key takeaways from Game 5 at Globe Life Field on Friday:

Josh Sborz Remains Nails

Josh Sborz has yet to allow a run in the postseason. In six innings over six games, Sborz hasn't allowed a hit, struck out six and walked three. That includes his 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in Game 5 Friday. He struck out two and walked one to get the game to Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning with the Rangers leading 4-2.

Hometown Trails

The Rangers and Astros played 41 innings (through five innings Friday) without the home team leading. It's the longest stretch in a postseason series without the home team leading. The previous longest stretch was 38 innings in the 2001 ALDS.

The stretch was snapped with Adolis Garcia's three-run home run in the sixth inning gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead.

Up Next

Game 5 will feature a Game 2 rematch between Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and Astros right-hander Framber Valdez at 7:07 p.m. Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

Rangers, Astros Benches Clear After Garcia Hit

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Rangers, Astros Benches Clear After Garcia Hit

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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