Rangers pounce on Valdez with historic 1st inning

HOUSTON — The Rangers are as familiar with Framber Valdez as almost any pitcher in the Majors.

In their first postseason matchup Monday, they took no time reintroducing themselves to the left-hander after facing him 16 times in the regular season, stretching back to Valdez’s first appearance in 2019 on April 2.

Marcus Semien and Corey Seager hit two singles off Valdez’s first two pitches. After a fielding error and a throwing error from Valdez allowed Robbie Grossman to reach and Semien to score, the Rangers continued to move the line.

Three more batters singled in the top of the first, giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead in the first inning of an eventual 5-4 win over Houston in Game 2 to improve to 2-0 in the American League Championship Series.

Texas’ four runs are the most scored in the first inning in Rangers postseason history. Teams are 61-9 in postseason history when scoring four or more runs in the opening frame.

Valdez entered with a 2.90 ERA in 16 career outings (13 starts) vs. Texas. But in his last outing against the Rangers at Minute Maid Park on July 26, Texas jumped on Valdez, scoring six runs in 3 2/3 innings vs. the Astros’ ace. That game also included a benches-clearing scuffle.

In this chapter of the rivalry, Texas came out on top early.