Adolis García was nearly the hero for the Rangers. But after the benches cleared, Jose Altuve bashed a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth to put the Astros one win away from a World Series return.
The League Championship Series have come alive the past few nights, and on Friday, we had not only the best single day of this postseason but one of the best single days of any postseason.
There have been plenty of storylines to track in this “Silver Boot” ALCS, though it was not until the late innings on Friday that the simmering hostilities between the Astros and Rangers finally boiled over on the diamond.
Since the start of the postseason, rookie catcher Gabriel Moreno has been key to the D-backs’ success. It may be no coincidence that their two wins in the NLCS came with him hitting third.
Impressive as Zack Wheeler has been in the regular season, it’s been his playoff dominance the past two seasons that has elevated his status to an even higher level and been a key reason for Philadelphia’s success.
At first, Mauricio Dubón could only laugh when Derek Jeter asked the Astros’ utility man how he got into baseball. “You’re the reason I love this game,” Dubón said. “… 8-year-old me would be freaking out right now.”