Heartbreak at home continues for Rangers

ARLINGTON — The Rangers played two dreadful games against the Astros in Games 3 and 4 of the American League Championship Series, allowing their in-state division rival to tie the series at Globe Life Field. 

But the Rangers, at least for most of Friday night, seemed to punch back. Adolis García’s go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth allowed Texas to take a minuscule lead over the Astros, one the Rangers held going into the ninth inning.

But José Leclerc, who has been as nails as a closer can be this postseason, had his biggest hiccup at the most inopportune moment, allowing a leadoff single to Yainer Diaz and a walk to nine-hole pinch-hitter Jon Singleton.

Jose Altuve didn’t blink, launching a three-run homer into the left-field stands to give the Astros a 5-4 lead. The Rangers would not come back this time, falling behind, 3-2, in the ALCS as the series heads back to Houston.

“I feel like I should have done a better job with the first two batters,” Leclerc said in Spanish after the game. “With Altuve, I actually felt like I did well. Altuve is simply a good ballplayer, and you’ve got to recognize how good he is.”

Teams ahead 3-2 in any best-of-seven postseason series have gone on to win 79 of 112 times (71%), and it’s about the same for teams that win Game 5 with the series tied at 2-2 (46 of 65, also 71%). In series with the current 2-3-2 format, teams taking a 3-2 lead by winning Game 5 on the road — before going home for Games 6-7 — have taken the series 20 of 25 times (80%).

However, it’s worth noting that the 2019 Astros are the only team to ever win Games 3, 4 and 5 on the road but still lose the series, doing so in the World Series against the Nationals.