What a start for the Texas Rangers.
A day after Jordan Montgomery homered for the Astros in Game 1 of the ALCS, the Rangers held on to win a 5-4 thriller in Game 2 on Monday. The Rangers jumped out to a 4-0 start in the first inning and got six innings of three-run ball from Nathan Eovaldi, who pitched his way out of the fifth inning, loaded with the bases, without allowing a run.
The Astros cut the deficit to 5-4 on an eighth-run home run off Yordan Álvarez, his second of the day, but never tied the game or led. The series moves to Arlington on Wednesday. The Rangers, now 7-0 in the postseason, will have three home games while needing two wins to close out the series.
In the Nightcap, the Philadelphia Phillies won Game 1 of the NLCS over the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 5-3 victory. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper got things started with a home run in the bottom of the first inning. Nick Castellanos joined them with a homer in the second to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Zach Wheeler was dominant in six innings of work, allowing just three hits and striking out eight batters.
The Diamondbacks’ late rally was too little, too late, and Arizona will now look at the series in Game 2, which begins at 8:07 PM ET Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, with the Phillies taking a 5-0 lead into the postseason.
Read below for news, scores, updates and highlights from all of Monday’s MLB action.
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