MLB playoffs live updates: Rangers dominating vs. Astros in ALCS Game 7; D-backs beat Phillies
The American League will crown its champ with a Game 7 between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros. Dusty Baker has never won a Game 7 in his career, while Bruce Bochy is undefeated in such games.
Max Scherzer starts for Texas in just his second appearance since returning from injury. He didn’t resemble his usual self in a Game 3 loss, as he gave up five hits and five runs in four innings. Houston will be counting on Christian Javier and his signature fastball, which was teeming with life in Game 3.
Earlier, the Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park 5-1 in Game 6 behind eight strikeouts from Merrill Kelly, forcing a Game 7 in that series Tuesday.
Here are the top moments from the games!
Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros (on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Seager second deck!
Corey Seager made what John Smoltz called a “shock value statement” as the second batter of Game 7, depositing a solo home run into the second deck at Minute Maid Park.
Adolis adds another!
Even though he failed to hustle out of the batter’s box on his line drive off the left-field wall, Adolis Garcia still drove in a second first-inning run by bringing him Evan Carter with his long single.
A bloop follows the blast!
Neither Chas McCormick nor Michael Brantley could get to Mitch Garver’s bloop single as the Rangers increased their lead to 3-0.
Javier already out of the game
Cristian Javier, who had allowed just five total hits over his sterling postseason career, was pulled in the first inning after allowing four — and three runs — to the Astros while recording just one out.
Abreu gets one right back!
A single down the left-field line by Jose Abreu allowed the Astros to claw one back against Rangers starter Max Scherzer, though he got Michael Brantley to ground into an inning-ending double play on the next pitch.
Adolis AGAIN
Garcia now has a home run of his own in Game 7, his fourth straight game with a homer, to add another run.
Adolis García smashes a solo home run to extend Rangers’ lead over Astros
Bregman hits it out!
Alex Bregman brought the deficit back down to two with a solo home run of his own off the pillar below the train tracks in left field as the home crowd erupted.
Alex Bregman smokes a solo home run, helping Astros cut deficit vs. Rangers
Game 7 Evan!
Rangers rookie Evan Carter continued to rake, as his bases-loaded double down the right-field line gave Texas two more runs.
Evan Carter and Adolis García both hit two-run singles to extend Rangers’ lead over Astros
Who else but Adolis?
Garcia has four RBIs in four innings already in Game 7, increasing the Rangers’ lead to 8-2.
Vibes not great in Houston
The Astros are either about to make a historic rally or lose all four games of a seven-game series at home for the second time in five postseasons
FINAL: Arizona Diamondbacks 5, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Merrill Kelly strikes out eight in Diamondbacks’ 5-1 win vs. Phillies
Full highlights below:
Three Ks!
Aaron Nola had Citizens Bank in a frenzy to open the affair, as he struck out the D-backs’ first two batters, before Gabriel Moreno smacked a single up the middle. Nola bounced back quickly though, mowing down Christian Walker with a fastball.
Made ’em pay
In the second, things looked much different for Nola on the bump. Tommy Pham silenced the Philly crowd with a line drive home run on a hanging curveball to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.
Back to back!
Enter Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who got a fastball he liked and put it over the left field wall to double the D-backs’ lead.
Trifecta
Make that 3-0 Arizona. Evan Longoria jumped all over a first-pitch heater from Nola in his first at-bat, scoring Alek Thomas from first base.
Back to life!
JT Realmuto brought the Philly crowd back to life by opening the second inning with a double. Brandon Marsh came up big for his teammate in scoring position, turning on an inside pitch for a double of his own for the Phillies’ first run.
Three-bagger!
Nola settled into a groove in innings three and four, but in the fifth, Arizona broke through again, taking a 4-1 lead with a double from Corbin Carroll, followed by an RBI triple by Ketel Marte.
Streaky swingin’
Ketel Marte matched the MLB’s postseason record earlier by hitting safely in his 15th straight game. He collected hit number two in this one to push Arizona up 5-1 in the top of the seventh.
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