Texas Rangers Lefty Jordan Montgomery Neutralizes Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros in ALCS Game 1

Jordan Montgomery delivered another clutch performance for the Texas Rangers in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

HOUSTON – October baseball creates legends. 

Reggie Jackson. 

David Ortiz. 

Yordan Alvarez. 

You wouldn't consider him a living legend? Ask the Minnesota Twins or 2022 Seattle Mariners about the Houston Astros left-handed slugger and see what their opinion is. 

Talk to Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado if he thinks the 26-year-old Dominican native isn't larger than life following his Game 6 outing that brought the city another title. 

Alvarez, the power-hitting outfielder who launched four home runs in the ALDS, was ready to keep the fireworks going in front of a packed Minute Maid Park. Why wouldn't he after his heroics during the regular season? 

Texas Rangers lefty Jordan Montgomery had other plans as he took the mound behind enemy lines. Eliminate Alvarez, eliminate the Astros. That's probably the most mild way to put it. 

Call that mission accomplished as the southpaw totaled three strikeouts against Houston's No. 3 hitter in a 2-0 win to take Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. 

"He's a really good hitter, so you kind of have to do a little bit of everything to him," Montgomery said in the late hours Sunday evening. "But we kind of worked the fastball in and out and threw some curveballs for strikes and expanded and made some big pitches when we needed to."

The legend of Montgomery has only continued to blossom in his short tenure with Texas. After delivering seven shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the Wild Card round, he started the Game 2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. 

But consider Sunday night's performance his masterpiece, especially when discussing his duel against Alvarez. And yes, one could call it a battle since most of the time, it's Alvarez walking away a winner. 

Entering the series, Alvarez mashed left-handers, posting a whopping .892 OPS during the regular season and only struck out 37 times. 

A hat trick of Ks rarely happens for the 6-foot-5 outfielder and is almost unheard of against lefties — almost since Montgomery was the exception. 

Texas Rangers left-hander Jordan Montgomery prepares for Houston Astros in the first inning of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park / © Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"He threw a heck of a game tonight," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "He had a good fastball. He was throwing harder than I remember. We hadn't seen him in a long time." 

Baker mentioned Houston has Montgomery "on the ropes." He's not wrong. The Astros' bats came alive in the fourth inning to load the bases and put together a two-out rally, but Montgomery tossed a sinker to get Martín Maldonado off his rhythm before sending him three fastballs for the strikeout. 

But again, Texas' focus was on Alvarez and the ability to neutralize his power at the plate. Montgomery got him to chase at a 79-mph curveball for the strikeout in the first. He came back with a couple of fastballs in the third inning before closing the door with an 81-mphcurve. 

The final round, a five-pitch punchout in the fifth, featured all off-speed pitches and were low and away. Alvarez couldn't hold up on the curve and 2-2 count. 

The only part that would've made Montgomery's night better? A fourth chance to send Alvarez back to the dugout with a K next to his stat line in October. 

"I'm always trying to go as deep into the game as I can," Montgomery said. "So playoffs or not, it doesn't really matter."

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