'They Like To Talk.' Are Chatty Houston Astros In Texas Rangers' Head?

The Houston Astros have a chirpy dugout and the Texas Rangers may have let it get under their skin during a rollercoaster Game 5 loss in the ALCS.

ARLINGTON, Texas — That was a classic postseason baseball game.

Game 5 of the American League Championship Series had a little bit of everything. Massive, game-changing home runs, stellar defensive plays, and a good ol' benches-clearing scrum to make sure everyone knows just how heated this Texas showdown has become between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.

"I’d say it's getting pretty chippy on both sides. This rivalry is intense, so emotions are high especially when it’s a roller coaster of a game like that," Rangers rookie Josh Jung said after the Astros' stunning 5-4 comeback win behind Jose Altuve's three-run, ninth-inning homer. "We have big emotions, they have big emotions, and it just seems like as the game gets later, obviously the more clutch stuff becomes and it’s bigger the celebration."

Here we go! pic.twitter.com/0XcvU3Suid

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) October 20, 2023

The showdown resumes for Game 6 at 7:07 p.m. Sunday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Rangers are trying to force a decisive Game 7 Monday night. The Astros are trying to return to the World Series to defend their 2022 championship.

Did the eighth-inning, benches-clearing jawing match alter the course of Game 5 and the series?

"No, we’re still going to play our game," Rangers catcher Jonah Heim said. "They like to talk, they like to make noise. And we’re just going to play our game and not worry about it ... We’ve already shown this postseason that we’re not shy about going into Houston and winning. It’s going to be a hard-fought Game 6, and we’ll try to make it a Game 7."

Heim declined to get specific on which Astros players are doing the most talking.

"You saw their dugout the whole game," he said. "That’s what they do, they try to get under your skin, try to get you off your game, so we’re just trying to play our game, good fundamental baseball."

Jung and Nathaniel Lowe were more concerned with their at-bats that followed the bench-clearing episode. They both struck out with runners on, leaving the Rangers clinging to a two-run lead entering the ninth and setting up Altuve's game-winning blast.

"Every team [talks]. I think it’s baseball. Some guys do a good job of trying to get under people’s skin and try to take them off their game," Jung said. "I think me having a bad at-bat and me and Nate both punching out gave them the momentum back."

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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