Astros-Rangers ALCS Game 4 FAQ (Tonight, 8 ET, FS1)
ARLINGTON — The Rangers’ seven-game postseason win streak got here to an finish Wednesday night time at Globe Life Field because the Astros punched again for his or her first win of the American League Championship Series.
In the common season, the Rangers have been 50-31 at dwelling, whereas the Astros have been 51-30 on the highway. Houston got here out on high within the first matchup away from Minute Maid Park.
The Rangers have been a streaky staff within the second half. But they’re counting on their expertise with bouncing again to assist them come out on high.
“That’s something that we’ve done pretty much all year,” third baseman Josh Jung stated. “We’ve had some ups, we’ve had some downs. We are where we are and we are who we are because of our resilience.”
Including the common season, the Astros have gained six straight video games at Globe Life Field and 7 of eight total. During their six-game win streak, they’ve outscored the Rangers 61-33. They’ll look to win two extra and ship the sequence again to Houston.
“We were close to winning the first two games,” Astros supervisor Dusty Baker stated. “We were one hit away. Might not have won, but we were one hit away from at least tying it up and going ahead. But this team doesn’t quit. We know that the Rangers don’t quit, either. And it makes for a good series.”
When is the sport and the way can I watch it?
Thursday’s sport will likely be televised within the U.S. on FS1 at 8:03 p.m. ET/7:03 p.m. CT.
All sequence can be found within the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a taking part Pay TV supplier. Games can be found reside internationally (besides in Canada). Full sport archives will likely be obtainable roughly 90 minutes after the sport ends.
Who are the beginning pitchers?
Like Game 3 winner Cristian Javier, Urquidy has constructed a pleasant postseason resume, and he’ll look so as to add to it when he will get the ball in Game 4. The right-hander allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings within the clinching win over the Twins within the AL Division Series, and over eight profession postseason appearances (seven begins), he has recorded a 3.64 ERA throughout 42 innings. Urquidy has pitched in some large video games — and wins — since getting back from a proper shoulder damage in early August.
Rangers: LHP Andrew Heaney
Heaney final appeared within the postseason in Game 1 of the ALDS in Baltimore, the place he allowed one earned run over 3 2/3 innings. During the common season, the lefty pitched to a 4.15 ERA over 34 appearances (28 begins), spanning 147 1/3 innings. He confronted the Astros 4 occasions in 2023, all begins, permitting six runs over 19 2/3 innings (2.75 ERA).
What are the projected beginning lineups?
Astros: Baker shook issues up in Game 3 with Michael Brantley hitting second and Kyle Tucker shifting right down to sixth, as Baker hinted would occur a day earlier. It labored. The Astros had 12 hits and scored eight runs to win Game 3. Facing a lefty in Heaney in Game 4, anticipate Brantley to hit again down within the order and Chas McCormick to get a begin.
Rangers: Manager Bruce Bochy shook issues up in Game 2 with Astros lefty Framber Valdez on the mound and Game 3 towards Javier, however issues might return to established order for Game 4 with Urquidy beginning. He might select to stay with rookie sensation Evan Carter within the three gap, however Mitch Garver has been constant all postseason in defending Corey Seager.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Astros: Baker used all three of his high-leverage relievers in Game 3 — Hector Neris threw 19 pitches, Bryan Abreu threw 17 and nearer Ryan Pressly threw 13. All three needs to be obtainable for Game 4, and Houston has loads of contemporary arms behind them with Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek, in addition to lengthy aid choices Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown.
Rangers: With Heaney getting the beginning with lower than a full starter’s workload, Dane Dunning ought to come up behind him to supply size out of the bullpen. The three relievers who have been utilized in Games 1 and a pair of — Josh Sborz, José Leclerc and Aroldis Chapman — weren’t used within the Game 3 loss, and they need to be able to go in high-leverage conditions in Game 4 after an additional day of relaxation.
Astros: Relief pitcher Kendall Graveman is battling proper shoulder discomfort and isn’t on the ALCS roster.
Rangers: With Scherzer and Jon Gray each being activated from the injured listing for the ALCS, the Rangers are in comparatively good well being at this level. Reliever Jonathan Hernández was once more left off the roster because of a proper lat pressure, an damage that Bochy stated was sustained throughout Game 162, when Hernández tossed one good inning with two strikeouts in Texas’ 1-0 loss to Seattle.
Who’s scorching, who’s not?
Astros: Yordan, Yordan, Yordan. Alvarez had one other large hit in Game 3, a single within the seventh that drove in two runs in Houston’s 8-5 win. Alvarez leads the Majors this postseason with 11 runs scored, and he’s slashing a fairly ridiculous .407/.467/1.148. He’s the primary participant since Alex Rodriguez (Yankees, 2009) with five-plus homers, 10-plus RBIs and 10 or extra hits via the primary seven video games of a postseason. Carlos Beltran (Astros, 2004) is the one different participant to do that.
Kyle Tucker remains to be trying to break via, however hitting sixth in Game 3, he doubled within the ninth inning. Alex Bregman is batting .185 via the postseason.
Rangers: Josh Jung recorded his first profession postseason multihomer sport Wednesday, logging a two-run shot within the fifth and one other within the seventh. He’s the fifth participant and first rookie in Rangers postseason historical past with a multihomer sport and the primary since Nelson Cruz, who hit two homers in Game 2 of the 2011 ALCS.
Corey Seager has cooled off a bit, going 0-for-4 in Game 3. He’s 1-for-9 in his previous two video games.
