Game: Houston Astros @ Texas Rangers
Time: 8:03 p.m.
Odds: Astros +102, Rangers -112
Total: 9.5
There is no more appealing venue for the Houston Astros to play when they are on the road than Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Texas Rangers and the Astros are preparing to square off in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series tonight. Houston has no problem with playing at the Rangers’ home. They have scored 59 runs in their last five games at Globe Life Field.
Texas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1, but Houston gained momentum on Wednesday with an 8-5 victory. The Astros not only improved to 7-1 while visiting the Rangers in 2023, but they also won for the 17th time in their previous 20 road games. In those eight road games at Texas, the Astros have averaged 8.9 runs per game.
Houston hit 16 home runs and outscored Texas 39-10 in a memorable three-game sweep in the first week of September. When asked about his team’s road performance, Astros manager Dusty Baker downplayed the team’s success in Texas, but he did talk up his team’s success on the road overall. Houston is just 40-45 at home and 54-30 on the road (including the postseason).
DH Yordan Alvarez has six home runs and 10 RBIs in the postseason for Houston. On Wednesday, Jose Altuve hit his 25th postseason home run, and Alvarez and Martin Maldonado each hit a two-run single. In terms of playoff deep runs, only Manny Ramirez (29) has more home runs than Altuve.
Josh Jung hit two two-run home runs for the Rangers, who suffered their first postseason loss in eight games. Along with Jung, Nathaniel Lowe also had two hits and two runs scored. In contrast, the rest of the Rangers managed just two hits in their combined 24 at-bats.
Left-hander Andrew Heaney (0-0, 2.45 ERA in the postseason) has been named the Rangers’ starter for tonight. Houston will get things going with right-hander Jose Urquidy (1-0, 3.18 in the postseason).
Heaney, 32, got the ball for Game 1 of the AL Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles and went 3.2 innings, allowing one run and two hits. In two career postseason appearances (one start), he has a 2.70 ERA overall. In 15 career starts against the Astros, Heaney is 4-4 with a 3.35 ERA, including a 1-0 record and 2.75 ERA in four 2023 starts. In two of the games, Heaney threw five innings without allowing a run. For the season, Heaney had a 10-6 record with a 4.11 ERA. Against him, Houston’s Jose Abreu is 5-for-19 (.263) with four home runs. Jose Altuve is 12-for-37 (.324) with two homers against Heaney.
In the decisive Game 4 of the ALDS against the Minnesota Twins, Urquidy earned the victory after tossing 5.2 innings and allowing two runs on three hits. In 13 career postseason appearances (seven starts), he is 4-2 with a 3.64 ERA. Despite not facing Texas during the regular season of 2023, Urquidy has made seven career starts against the Rangers and has a stellar 5-0 record with a 2.82 ERA. In both the regular season and the postseason, Texas star Marcus Semien has hit off Urquidy 8 times in 21 at-bats (.381) and has three home runs.
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