The Texas Rangers got an ace-like performance out of Jordan Montgomery, and the offense did just enough against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander en route to a 2-0 win in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday in Houston.
Here are some takeaways from the game:
JORDAN MONTGOMERY SHOVES
Montgomery was magnificent. The left-hander out-dueled one of the best pitchers in MLB postseason history in Verlander in Game 1.
Montgomery allowed 0 runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. He struck out six, gave up five hits, and walked one.
Verlander also had a solid outing, allowing two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Montgomery has a 2.08 ERA in 17 1/3 innings of work across three starts this postseason. All four of the runs he allowed this postseason came against the Orioles in the ALDS.
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Montgomery is the first pitcher in Rangers franchise history with multiple scoreless postseason starts of at least six innings pitched.
EVAN CARTER ROBBERY
Evan Carter has never seen the strange outfield dimensions at Minute Maid Park. But you wouldn't have known it with the way he played in left field on Sunday night. Carter made not one but two incredible plays, robbing multiple hits that would have gone for extra bases, the second of which would have cut the Rangers' lead to 2-1 in the 8th inning.
With Alex Bregman at the plate, he launched an Aroldis Chapman slider near the Rangers bullpen in left field. Carter leaped and snagged the ball at the wall to rob Bregman of at least a double. Jose Altuve, who was at first base, ran past second and never re-touched the bag before retreating back to first. The play was reviewed and Altuve was called out.
LEODY GOES DEEP
Rangers No. 9 hitter, Leody Taveras, hit his first career postseason home run in the fifth inning to give Texas a 2-0 lead.
Taveras got on base all three times, adding a walk and a single off of Verlander.
CARTER DOUBLES/TIES ROOKIE HISTORY
Carter wasn't just magical on the defensive end of things, as he stretched a single into a double in the second inning on a hard-hit ball that deflected off Astros' first baseman Jose Abreu's glove and into right field. Jonah Heim singled to center field on the ensuing at-bat, scoring Carter.
According to Langs, Carter joins Chuck Knoblauch and Ichiro Suzuki as the only rookies in MLB history to reach base 14 times in his first six postseason games.