With a win Monday in ALCS Game 7, the Texas Rangers advanced to the World Series to face the winner of Tuesday’s NLCS Game 7 between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Houston Astros, meanwhile, saw their World Series defense come to a close.
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Texas Rangers at Houston Astros, ALCS Game 7: Rangers 11, Astros 4 (Texas wins 4-3)
Game summary:
The Texas Rangers are your AL champions — in emphatic fashion. Led by a scorching Adolis García, the Rangers put on an offensive clinic Monday in an 11-4 win over the Astros in Game 7. The victory secured a 4-3 series win that saw the road team win each contest.
The Rangers jumped out of the gate with a three-run first inning, chasing Astros starter Cristian Javier in the process. The Astros threatened to respond after José Altuve hit a leadoff double off Max Scherzer in the bottom of the first. He came around to score, but a double-play ended the Astros’ threat, and Texas left the first with a 3-1 lead.
The teams then traded runs in the third, with Texas scoring on a García solo home run, and the Rangers entered the fourth with a 4-2 lead. From there, they piled on.
Texas loaded the bases in the fourth, setting up Evan Carter for a two-run double to extend the lead to 6-2. García then cleared the bases with a two-run single that extended the lead to 8-2 and effectively put the game out of reach.
The Rangers inflicted more damage before the night was done, with a home run from Nathaniel Lowe and another from García, to go into the World Series on an offensive tear.
The win keeps Rangers manager Bruce Bochy undefeated in Game 7s, while Astros manager Dusty Baker has yet to see his team win one.
Key moment:
The Rangers set the tone from the opening inning Monday. Javier induced a ground ball from Marcus Semien for the first out of the game. He wouldn’t record another.
Corey Seager got the scoring started with an upper-deck blast to right field for a 1-0 Rangers lead.
García followed with an RBI single to score Carter from second on a loud single that bounced off the left-field wall just short of a home run.
García was stuck at first after standing to admire his not-quite home run. But he made up for it by stealing second and coming home to score on a bloop single by Mitch Garver.
Jonah Heim then singled to put runners at the corners. The Rangers had a 3-0 lead they would never relinquish, and Javier’s day was done after he recorded just one out.
From there, the Rangers battered the Astros’ bullpen, and Houston’s bats couldn’t keep pace.
Impact player:
This one’s easy. García extended his historic offensive tear with a Game 7 for the ages en route to ALCS MVP honors. The All-Star outfielder finished the night 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three runs scored, five RBI and a stolen base.
After his response to a hit-by-pitch in Game 5 prompted the dugouts to clear and led to his ejection — as well as those of Baker and Astros reliever Bryan Abreu — García leaves Houston with a gratifying last laugh.
He started the night with the RBI single, stolen base and score that gave Texas a 2-0 lead. Greeted at the plate by boos in the third, García responded with a line drive into the right-field stands for his first home run of the night — and a response to meet the moment.
In the eighth, he added another solo shot, increasing his historic postseason tally. García now owns the Rangers’ record for RBI in a postseason, with 20.
His 20 RBI in 12 games are the most ever by a player in the postseason prior to the start of the World Series. The record including the World Series is 21, set by David Freese for the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals.
García’s 15 RBI in the ALCS are the most ever in a single postseason series. He ends this ALCS with at least one home run in four consecutive games and five total after hitting two on Monday. His is an effort that will long be remembered.
What’s next?
The Rangers are on to the World Series, in which they’ll face the winner of Tuesday’s NLCS Game 7 between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies.
World Series Game 1 is Friday in Arlington, Texas.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
