TEXAS RANGERS: Suffer first loss of the 2023 postseason (7-1 overall), but still lead the 2023 American League Championship Series 2-1.
- Seven game Postseason win streak finishes as the longest in franchise history (previous was a five game streak during the 2011 Postseason).
- The seven game win streak also finishes tied for the second-longest in MLB history to begin a Postseason…The only team with a longer streak \to open a Postseason was the 2014 Royals (eight games).
GLOBE LIFE FIELD: Tonight’s attendance of 42,368 was a sellout and the largest crowd for a Rangers game in Globe Life Field history…Rangers played at home tonight for just the second time in the last 23 days…The ballpark has now hosted Postseason games in the ALDS, NLDS, ALCS, NLCS & World Series.
MAX SCHERZER: Took the loss after allowing five earned runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts across 4.0 innings of work.
- Made 28th career Postseason appearance (23rd start) and first pitching appearance since Sept. 12 at Toronto…All-time Postseason record is 7-8 with a 3.80 ERA (137.1 IP – 58 ER) and 168 strikeouts…The 168 career Postseason strikeouts rank third among actives, behind Justin Verlander (241) and Clayton Kershaw (213).
- At 39 years, 83 days, became oldest starting pitcher in Rangers Postseason history…Previous oldest was Colby Lewis (37 years, 68 days) in Game 3 of 2016 ALDS at Toronto.
JOSH JUNG: Recorded first career Postseason multi-HR game…Hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 5th to cut the Astros lead to 5-2 and a tworun homer in the 7th to make the score 7-4 Houston.
- Fifth player (first rookie) in Rangers Postseason history with a multi-HR game and first since Nelson Cruz (2 HR in Game 2 of 2011 ALCS vs.
Detroit)…Set Rangers rookie record with four RBI in a Postseason game (previous was three by Mitch Moreland in Game 3 of 2010 World Series). - Became 11th rookie all-time with a Postseason multi-HR game…Jung and Minnesota’s Royce Lewis (2 HR in Game 1 of Wild Card Series vs. Toronto), are the second pair of rookies to have multi-HR games in a single Postseason, joining Carlos Correa and Michael Conforto in 2015. • First rookie in Rangers history to hit multiple home runs in a single Postseason. • Has hits in six of eight games this Postseason…Seven of 11 hits in the playoffs have gone for extra bases…Seven XBH are the most by a Rangers rookie in a single Postseason and are tied for the most by a rookie in his first eight career postseason games, with Jeremy Peña and Evan Longoria (courtesy of MLB’s Sarah Langs).
LEODY TAVERAS: Robbed Yordan Alvarez of a home run in the 6th inning…According to Sports Info Solutions now has four career home run robberies (three regular season, one Postseason)…His three in regular season play came against Justin Turner, Evan White and Pedro Severino.
EVAN CARTER: Doubled in the 6th inning and has now reached base safely in all eight of the Rangers Postseason games…Recorded his second outfield assist of the ALCS when Martín Maldonado was thrown out at 2nd base trying to advance in the 2nd inning (also, Game 1 at Houston).
- First Ranger ever with multiple outfield assists in a single Postseason…There have been just four other outfield assists in Rangers playoff history, with Nelson Cruz (one in 2010, one in 2011) being the only other Ranger with multiple outfield assists in the playoffs in a career…Became 12th rookie in MLB history with multiple OF assists in a single postseason and the fourth since 2000, joining Timo Perez (2000 NYM), Yasiel Puig (2013 LAD) and Andrew Toles (2016 LAD).
HOUSTON ASTROS: Improve to 4-3 overall this Postseason and cut the Texas series lead to 2-1 in the 2023 American League Championship Series. • Including the regular season, have won six straight games at Globe Life Field and seven of eight overall for the year…During this six game win streak at Globe Life Field, have outscored the Rangers 61-33. • Teams that win Game 3 after falling behind 2-0 in a seven-game Postseason series have gone on to win the series 13 of 50 times (26%)…The only team to win a seven-game ALCS after going down 0-2 and winning Game 3 was the 1985 Royals (vs. Toronto).
DUSTY BAKER: Earned his 55th career postseason win as Manager, which ranks fourth all-time, trailing only Joe Torre (84), Tony La Russa (71) and Bobby Cox (67).
CRISTIAN JAVIER: Earned the win after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts…Has now won all four of his career Postseason starts while pitching to a 0.82 ERA (22 IP – 2 ER). • Began game with 4.2 no-hit innings before allowing a single to Nathanial Lowe with two outs in the 5th inning. • Home run allowed to Josh Jung in the 5th inning snapped streak of 20.1 consecutive scoreless innings as a starter to begin his Postseason career…The only longer streak in MLB Postseason history was 28.0 innings by Christy Mathewson (spanned the 1905 & 1911 World Series). • Has a .071 (5/70) opponent batting average across his four career Postseason starts, which is the lowest in any four-start span in Postseason history (courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau). • Tonight was 17th career postseason game (fourth start) and second start of the 2023 Postseason (also started Game 3 of ALDS at Baltimore).
JOSE ALTUVE: Hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning, giving the Astros a 4-0 lead…Added a single in the 7th inning to tally his 33rd career Postseason multi-hit game, which rank third-most all-time behind Derek Jeter (58) and Bernie Williams (36).
- His 24 career Postseason home runs rank second all-time, behind Manny Ramirez (29)…Has scored 82 career Postseason runs, which are third all-time behind Derek Jeter (111) and Bernie Williams (83).
- Became the fourth player all-time with 200+ career total bases in Postseason play, joining Derek Jeter (302), Manny Ramirez (223) and Bernie Williams (223)…Altuve finished the night with 202 career total bases (five tonight).
MARTÍN MALDONADO: Had two singles tonight, including a two-RBI single in the 2nd inning to extend Houston’s lead to 3-0.
- Second career multi-RBI game in the Postseason (had three RBI in Game 5 of the 2021 World Series at Atlanta).
- Third career multi-hit Postseason game (2 hits in Game 2 of 2019 ALDS vs. Rays and 2 hits in Game 3 of 2023 ALDS at Minnesota).
YORDAN ALVAREZ: Was hit by a pitch in the 2nd inning and would score the first run of the game on a Max Scherzer wild pitch to give the Astros their first lead of the series…Leads the Majors this Postseason with 11 total runs scored.