GOING TO GAME 7: After six games in the 2023 American League Championship Series, the series is tied 3-3 with Game 7 scheduled for tomorrow night at Minute Maid Park (7:03 p.m. CDT)…It will be the 20th LCS all-time to go the full seven games since the series shifted to the best-of-seven format in 1985 and the ninth ALCS to have a seventh game (first since 2020 between the Astros and Rays).
2023 ALCS: The road team has won all six games to begin the 2023 American League Championship Series…This is the second best-of-seven series all-time to have the road team win each of the first six games and the first ever in a LCS…The only other series to have the road team win the first six games was the 2019 World Series (all 7 –
Nationals/Astros).
HOUSTON ASTROS: Fall to 6-4 overall this Postseason and are now 3-3 in the 2023 ALCS… The loss tonight snaps a three game win streak in the series…Have now lost four consecutive Postseason home games, which ties the longest streak in Astros history for a single Postseason (lost all four home games in 2019 World Series vs. Washington)…Are 1-4 at home in the 2023 Postseason and 5-0 on the road.
- Tomorrow night will be the sixth Game 7 in franchise history and the fourth in an LCS…Are 2-3 in the previous five Game 7’s, including a 1-2 mark in the LCS (1-1 in the ALCS).
- Tomorrow will be Houston’s first Game 7 since a loss to the Rays in the 2020 ALCS (at Petco Park in San Diego).
- FRAMBER VALDEZ: Took the loss after allowing three earned runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts…All three runs allowed came on a pair of homers (solo HR by Mitch Garver in the 2nd inning and two-run HR by Jonah Heim in the 4th inning).
- Falls to 0-3 in the 2023 Postseason after going 3-0 in his four playoff starts last season… Becomes second pitcher in Houston history with a losing decision in three straight Postseason appearances, joining Justin Verlander (2019).
- With six strikeouts tonight, now has 92 for his Postseason career, which are second all-time among Dominican-born pitchers, behind Pedro Martinez (96).
- YORDAN ALVAREZ: Drove in first run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st to score Jose Altuve and give Houston a 1-0 lead…Added another single leading off the bottom of the 6th.
- Recorded multiple hits for a fifth consecutive game, which is now the longest streak in Astros Postseason history (George Springer had a four game streak spanning the 2017-18 playoffs) and ties the MLB record for a single Postseason…Is the 10th player all-time to have multiple hits in five straight games in a single Postseason and the first since Marcus Semien for Oakland in 2020.
- JOSE ALTUVE: Recorded his 35th career multi-hit Postseason game, which is the third-most all-time, behind Derek Jeter (58) and Bernie Williams (36)…Led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a single and scored the game’s first run on an RBI hit by Yordan Alvarez…Added another single in the bottom of the 7th inning.
- His 87 career Postseason runs scored are the second-most all-time, behind Derek Jeter (111).
- MAURICIO DUBÓN: Hit a sacrifice fly in the 6th inning to cut the Texas lead to 3-2…Marked his second career Postseason RBI (both have come in this series – had an RBI single in the 4th inning of Game 3 at Globe Life Field.
- TEXAS RANGERS: With the win, improve to 8-3 overall in the 2023 Postseason and even up the 2023 ALCS 3-3, forcing a Game 7 tomorrow night…Second win in franchise history when facing elimination (are now 2-8 in potential elimination games, with the only other win coming in the deciding Game 5 of the 2010 ALDS at Tampa Bay).
- Are now 7-0 on the road in the 2023 Postseason…Become second team all-time to win their first seven road games of a Postseason, joining the 1996 Yankees (won first eight road games)…The only other team with a 7+ game road win streak at any point in a single postseason was the 2019 Nationals (eight game win streak).
- Tomorrow night will be the second Game 7 in franchise history and first in an LCS…Only previous Game 7 was in the 2011 World Series (a loss at St. Louis).
- Teams trailing 3-2 to win Game 6 in a seven-game series have gone on to win the series 33 of 59 times (55.9%), including 12 of 19 times in the LCS (63.2%)…When road teams in that scenario win Game 6, they have won the series 12 of 23 times (52.2%), including four of nine times in the LCS (44.4%).
- BRUCE BOCHY: Earned his 52nd career Postseason win as Manager, which ranks fifth all-time, trailing only Joe Torre (84), Tony La Russa (71), Bobby Cox (67) and Dusty Baker (57).
- NATHAN EOVALDI: Earned the win after working 6.1 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts…Has now won all four his starts for Texas in the 2023 Postseason and has registered quality starts in all four games.
- Sets a Texas franchise record with four wins in a single Postseason (previous was three wins by Cliff Lee and Colby Lewis in 2010).
- Joins Cliff Lee (2010) as the only pitchers in Rangers history to have four quality starts in a single Postseason.
- ADOLIS GARCÍA: Hit a grand slam in the top of the 9th inning to extend the Texas lead to 9-2…It was the third Postseason grand slam in Rangers history, joining Nelson Cruz (2011 ALCS Game 2 vs. DET – walk-off) and Mitch Garver (2023 ALDS Game 2 at BAL)…Has now homered in three consecutive games for Texas.
- Is the third player in Rangers Postseason history to homer in at least three straight games, along with Juan Gonzalez (4 straight in 1996) and Nelson Cruz (3 straight in 2011).
- Has hit safely in 10 of 11 Postseason games for Texas…The five home runs lead all Rangers players in the 2023 playoffs.
- His 15 RBI in lead the Majors this Postseason and are tied with B.J. Upton for the second-most by any player in his first 11 career Postseason games, behind the 20 RBI by Nomar Garciaparra in his first 11 career Postseason games.
- JONAH HEIM: Recorded a go-ahead two-run homer in the 4th inning to give Texas a 3-1 lead…Marked his second career Postseason home run (both have come against Framber Valdez in this series – had a solo HR in Game 2).
- The homer was the first go-ahead home run in a potential elimination game in Rangers Postseason history.
- According to Statcast, at 336 ft., the home run is tied for the shortest distance of any homer in the 2023 Postseason (Tommy Pham also had a 336 ft. homer for Arizona in Game 1 of the NLDS at Dodgers)…The 95.6 MPH exit velocity is the second lowest for any homer in the 2023 Postseason, only ahead of a 93.6 MPH homer by Arizona’s Alek Thomas in Game 2 of the Wild Card series at Milwaukee.
- MITCH GARVER: Had first career three-hit Postseason game and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle…Hit a solo home run leading off the 2nd inning to tie up the game at 1-1…Added a single in the 4th inning and an RBI double in the 8th inning to extend the Texas lead to 4-2.
- Tonight was his fourth career multi-hit game in the Postseason and third of 2023…Had two hits in Games 2 and 3 of the ALDS vs. Baltimore.
- The homer was the second of his Postseason career (hit a grand slam in Game 2 of 2023 ALDS at Baltimore)…First game tying home run in Rangers history in a potential Postseason elimination game
