HOUSTON (AP) — Jonah Heim homered, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six effective innings and the Texas Rangers beat Framber Valdez and Houston Astros 5-4 on Monday for a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series.
They swept the Rays in the Wild Card Series and the Orioles in the Division Series, and then posted a 2-0 win at Houston in the ALCS opener.
The Astros, who went 39-42 at home in the regular season, continued to struggle at Minute Maid Park.
Valdez bobbled a chopper hit by Grossman for an error that allowed him to reach first and Semien to score.
Alex Bregman also connected for the Astros, who went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.
Persons:
— Jonah Heim, Nathan Eovaldi, Framber Valdez, Adolis García, Mitch Garver, Nathaniel Lowe, José Leclerc, Yordan Alvarez, Eovaldi, Alvarez, Aroldis Chapman, Leclerc, José Abreu, Michael Brantley, Chas McCormick, Jeremy Peña flied, Yainer Diaz, Jose Altuve flied, Corey Seager, Valdez, Robbie Grossman, Grossman, Seager, García, Garver, Heim, Lowe, Alex Bregman, Brantley, McCormick, Peña, Josh Jung, Diaz, Altuve, Bregman, Max Scherzer, Cy Young, ___
Organizations:
HOUSTON, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Valdez, Rangers, Astros, Houston, The Rangers, Rays, Orioles, Minnesota, Max, Texas, Astros haven’t
Locations:
Texas, Arlington, Valdez, Semien