Astros awaken: Max Scherzer stumbles, Cristian Javier shines in 8-5 ALCS Game 3 conquest

ARLINGTON, Texas – A postseason stalwart added to his October resume Wednesday night at Globe Life Field, flirting with history once again while pitching his team into a far better position to reach the World Series.

Unfortunately for the Texas Rangers, it was Cristian Javier, and not Max Scherzer.

Scherzer’s first appearance in five weeks due to a shoulder strain was a bust, as he was peppered for five runs in four innings and the Astros went on to an 8-5 victory in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

The Rangers suffered their first loss after seven consecutive wins to begin these playoffs, and although they still lead this ALCS 2-1, Scherzer’s uneven performance raised questions about the club’s pitching depth.

Or perhaps the Astros’ bats are finally awake.

They pounded 10 hits, including Jose Altuve’s 25th career postseason home run. Half those hits came off Scherzer, who lacked command with his fastball and slider and paid the price.

Javier had no such issues.

He came into the game having allowed two hits in three postseason starts, including a combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the World Series that keyed the Astros’ drive to the title. Wednesday, he galvanized their chance at a repeat.

Javier gave up just one walk to the first 15 batters faced before Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out single in the fifth. That preceded Josh Jung’s two-run homer to make it a 5-2 game – and the duo would go single-homer again in the bottom of the seventh, Jung tallying the first Rangers multi-homer game since Nelson Cruz in 2011.

But the Astros kept the pressure on Scherzer and five relievers, with Mauricio Dubon rapping out three hits, No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado capping a three-run second with a two-run single and Yordan Alvarez contributing a two-run single to ice it.

As for Javier? Well, he finally gave up a postseason run, but in four postseason starts, he still has a 0.82 ERA with five hits given up in 22 innings.

Game 4 is Thursday night; the Rangers announced after Game 3 that left-hander Andrew Heaney will start; the Astros announced Jose Urquidy will oppose him.

− Gabe Lacques

Rangers-Astros trade runs in eighth inning

The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros both scored runs in the eighth inning.

The Astros scored on an RBI single from Jeremy Pena in the top half of the inning and the Rangers responded with an RBI single by Adolis Garcia off Bryan Abreu to drive in Marcus Semien, who drew a walk.

It was the first run allowed by Abreu in 31 appearances.

Josh Jung slugs second homer of ALCS Game 3

Josh Jung is putting the Texas Rangers on his back.

The Rangers third baseman slugged his second homer − another two-run bomb − to cut Houston's lead to 7-4 in the seventh inning.

It was déjà vu all over again. Just like in the fifth inning, Nathaniel Lowe singled with two outs and Jung followed up with a two-run homer.

Astros slugger Yordon Alvarez gives Houston big insurance runs

Yordon Alvarez was robbed of a home run in the sixth inning.

The next time around, he would not be denied. In the seventh inning, the Houston Astros designated hitter came through with a two-out single to stretch the lead to 7-2 over the Texas Rangers.

Alvarez now has 10 RBI in seven postseason games.

Josh Jung gives Rangers life, Leody Taveras makes highlight reel catch

The Texas Rangers are on the board.

Third baseman Josh Jung slugged a two-run homer off Houston Astros starter Cristian Javier in the fifth inning to get the Rangers, and the fans, back in the game.

Javier had been cruising and had not allowed a hit until Nathaniel Lowe singled in the fifth inning with two outs. Jung followed that up with a 389-foot homer over the right-center field wall.

But it was center fielder Leody Taveras who made the play of the game. Taveras robbed Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez of a home run by leaping over the wall to make the catch and to keep the Rangers only down three runs.

Max Scherzer relieved after five earned runs over four innings

ARLINGTON, Texas - Max Scherzer sat on the sidelines as the Texas Rangers won their first seven postseason games, awaiting a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder to calm before joining the party.

The Houston Astros quickly ruined the vibe.

They scored five runs off Scherzer in four innings, including a two-run single by No. 9 hitter Martín Maldonado and Jose Altuve's 25th career postseason home run, to seize a 5-0 lead by the time Scherzer departed ALCS Game 3 at Globe Life Field.

The 39-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner threw 63 pitches - six less than a simulated game that convinced the Rangers he was good to go - and gave up five hits, striking out four. It was Scherzer's first start since Sept. 12, when he hurt his shoulder in a start at Toronto.

The Rangers went 7-0 in the postseason without him, but with the ALCS best-of-seven format, needed another starter or two. Scherzer and Jon Gray, who missed the first two rounds with a forearm strain, were deemed ready to roll.

Now, Gray or whoever starts Game 4 is charged with making sure the Astros don't square the series 2-2 after Texas claimed Games 1 and 2 on the road.

Jose Altuve homers, Astros tack on another run for 5-0 lead

ARLINGTON, Texas - Whatever momentum the Texas Rangers thought a pop artist who reached their zenith in the late 1990s could produce was cooled after just five pitches.

Jose Altuve crushed a solo home run to left center field off Max Scherzer to give the Houston Astros a 4-0 lead in Game 3 of the ALCS. His 413-foot shot on a 1-2 pitch came just moments after the band Creed's seminal hit, "Higher," was played on the big screen at Globe Life Field, the lyrics in large type to encourage fans to sing along.

Then, surprise! Lead singer Scott Stapp and the other three guys appeared on the big screen, shouting, "Let's Go!" to fans.

Only Altuve heeded their call.

Altuve is now the second player in MLB history to hit 25 career postseason home runs, joining Manny Ramírez.

Houston stretched the lead to 5-0, an inning later, on Jose Abreu's leadoff double and Mauricio Dubon's one-out RBI single, his second hit in as many at-bats.

Astros take first lead of ALCS vs. Max Scherzer

ARLINGTON, Texas - It took until the second inning of the third game, but the Houston Astros finally have a lead in this ALCS. All it took was for Yordan Alvarez to wear one rather than send a ball far beyond the fence.

Houston struck for three runs in the top of the second inning of Game 3, as Max Scherzer, making his first start since Sept. 12, hit Alvarez in the left foot and eventually threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded that enabled Alvarez to plate the first run.

Then Scherzer committed a cardinal sin, giving up a two-run single to No. 9 batter Martin Maldonado, who was thrown out trying to advance to second.

It's 3-0 Houston, and postseason legend Cristian Javier is poised to protect that lead and get Houston back in the series.

Yordan Alvarez a pleasant quandary to have for Dusty Baker's Astros

ARLINGTON, Texas – Yordan Alvarez has been such a transcendent performer, the lifeblood of the Houston Astros’ offense, that he presents a quandary for his manager, Dusty Baker:

Get him to the plate as much as possible? Or try to cram the bases full of teammates before he bats?

In Game 3 of the ALCS, Alvarez batted fourth a second consecutive game, and the parts moved around him a great bit. Struggling outfielder Kyle Tucker was dropped to the No. 6 hole while Michael Brantley – who missed 15 months with a shoulder injury before returning in August – moved up to second.

“Try to put as many guys on base in front of Alvarez as possible. And so that's what went into my decision,” says Baker.

He can only hope Jose Altuve, Brantley and new No. 3 hitter Alex Bregman find their way on base in front of Alvarez, whose epic postseason is threatened by the Astros’ 2-0 ALCS deficit.

Brantley has six home runs in six postseason games, including two in a 5-4 Game 2 loss at Houston. He has 12 career postseason homers – the most by a Cuban player in playoff history – including a mammoth sixth-inning shot to push the Astros ahead in Game 6 of the World Series as they closed out the Phillies.

“Last year he was so hot that the next series they stopped pitching to him,” Baker said of Alvarez’s epic 2022 run that began with game-saving homers against Seattle in the ALDS. “We've got a tremendous amount of confidence in him. He has confidence in himself.

“He doesn't clown, he doesn't showboat, he doesn't do anything but produce. So, yeah, he’s fast becoming, if not the, one of the best hitters in this game.”

Astros vs. Rangers: ALCS Game 3 time, TV channel, how to watch

Wednesday night's American League Championship Series game begins at 8:03 p.m. ET, airing on Fox Sports 1.

Cristian Javier vs. Rangers, Max Scherzer vs. Astros stats

Cristian Javier has been a big game pitcher for the Astros during the postseason, both as a starter and reliever. In 15 appearances, he is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA over 37 ⅔ innings. In his three starts, he is 3-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 16 ⅓ innings.

• In his only start against Texas this season, Javier allowed eight runs and nine hits over 4 ⅓ innings in the finale of the Astros’ only other series in Arlington, when they won 12-11 in July.

This will be the fifth different team Scherzer has pitched for in the postseason after the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. The right-hander is 7-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 27 postseason games that include 22 starts.

• Scherzer went 1-1 against the Astros this season. As a member of the Mets on June 19, he struck out eight and allowed one run in eight innings. His luck ran out during a start on Sept. 6 with the Rangers. The Astros scored seven runs, all of those coming on three homers, in three innings.

Rangers get Max Scherzer return for Game 3 vs. Astros

ARLINGTON, Texas – Max Scherzer, 39, has not pitched since Sept. 12, when he suffered a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder sometime during a start at Toronto. Scherzer said he was relieved the injury did not require surgery, keeping him in play to return in the postseason.

It was a good-news, bad-news scenario for the Rangers: Sure, they’ll have their veteran right-hander imported in July available for the playoffs. But they’d also have to deal with his famous impatience, his lobbying, his pawing at the proverbial mound dirt to get back.

He threw a bullpen session in Baltimore and pleaded his case. The Rangers said, maybe not yet.

And proceeded to run their postseason record to 7-0, following up a wild-card sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with a three-game sweep of the Orioles and two road wins in this ALCS.

The Rangers are peaking. And after Scherzer threw 69 pitches in a simulated game last week, now is the time.

Says Scherzer: “We've got a good thing going, we're flowing, we're rolling. Just continue to keep it going. Now it's my turn to get back into the fray and go out there and compete and give it the best I've got.” − Gabe Lacques

Evan Carter batting third in ALCS Game 3

Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter, who is just 21, is unfazed by pressure-packed playoffs. Manager Bruce Bochy alluded to moving the left fielder up in the batting order, and he did for Game 3, batting third. In doing so, Carter will become the second youngest player to start and bat third in the League Championship Series or the World Series.

The rookie batted ninth over the final month of the regular season, but moved up to the No. 5 spot in the lineup for their ALDS matchup against the Baltimore Orioles.

Astros, Rangers starting lineups and probable pitchers

Astros

RHP Cristian Javier − 10-5, 4.55 ERA regular season; 1-0, 0 ER in 5.0 innings, 9 strikeouts in 2023 postseason

1. Jose Altuve, 2B

2. Michael Brantley, LF

3. Alex Bregman, 3B

4. Yordan Alvarez, DH

5. José Abreu, 1B

6. Kyle Tucker, RF

7. Mauricio Dubón, CF

8. Jeremy Peña, SS

9. Martín Maldonado, C

Rangers

RHP Max Scherzer − 13-6, 3.77 ERA regular season; first postseason appearance of 2023

1. Marcus Semien, 2B

2. Corey Seager, SS

3. Evan Carter, LF

4. Adolis García, RF

5. Jonah Heim, C

6. Mitch Garver, DH

7. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B

8. Josh Jung, 3B

9. Leody Taveras, CF

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoffs: Astros awaken with ALCS Game 3 conquest over Rangers