McClain: Astros pulverize Rangers again at Globe Life Park, prove they're still kings of the road

(SportsRadio 610) - The American League Championship Series is guaranteed of coming back to Houston.

But is that a good thing?

After losing their first two games to the Rangers at Minute Maid Park, the Astros continued their magical mystery tour by winning 10-3 on Thursday night at Arlington, where they evened the ALCS at 2-2 going into Friday's afternoon game featuring Justin Verlander and Jordan Montgomery as the starting pitchers.

The Astros continued to make Globe Life Field their home away from home, beginning with Wednesday's 8-5 conquest that signaled the Rangers they weren't going to be the easy prey  they appeared to be after the first two games in Houston.

Counting the playoffs, the Astros are 40-45 at home, including 1-3 in postseason, and 54-31 on the road, including 4-0 in the playoffs. Nobody can explain the differences in their performance. They're 18-3 in their last 21 games on the road. They've won 10 of their last 11 postseason games away from Minute Maid Park.

Nowhere have they been more successful than at Globe Life Field. They have an 8-1 record in Arlington, including postseason. They have a five-game winning streak, and the Astros have averaged 11 runs a game compared to the Rangers' four. And they've smashed 19 home runs. That's the definition of domination and intimidation.

It hasn't mattered if the roof is closed like Wednesday or opened like Thursday. Afterward, Dusty Baker was asked for the umpteenth time about the Astros' success in Arlington.

"They keep asking me that same question (and) I've got the same answer -- I don't know," he said. "I know our guys see the ball well here, and the ball carries here. Some ballparks you like hitting in, and some ballparks you don't."

The Astros proved again how much they like hitting at Globe Life Field. With a pitching staff that did everything but wave a white flag, the Astros bashed the Rangers 18-8 in Games 3 and 4.

On Thursday, the Astros jumped in front 3-0 in the first inning on Alex Bregman's two-run triple and Yordan Alvarez's RBI single.

Starting pitcher Jose Urquidy, who pitched well in his last two starts against Arizona and Minnesota, just didn't have it a third consecutive time. The Rangers tied it 3-3, and Dusty Baker pulled Urquidy with one out in the third inning.

From that point on, the Astros got another incredible performance from their bullpen. Ryne Stanek got the easiest victory of his career. On one pitch, he induced a double play and was credited with the win.

"That was huge, especially when you've got guys that can hit the ball out of the ballpark," Baker said. "Anytime you get two outs on one pitch, and especially the second and third outs of that inning, that kind of squashed their momentum."

Stanek, rookie Hunter Brown, Phil Maton and Rafael Montero combined for 6.2 innings, allowing three hits and no runs. Brown pitched three scoreless innings and Maton two as the relief pitchers continued to excel.

Brown's outing was particularly satisfying for Baker.

"He pitched like a veteran," Baker said. "I liked that he was aggressive. He threw 33 strikes and 24 balls and didn't walk anybody. Had a couple of balls that were hit hard, but anytime you can make them swing the bat you have a chance of getting them out.

"Walks have sort of plagued him as a starter, but as a reliever, he comes out throwing strikes, throwing fastballs, throwing quality pitches. And that was huge because what that did, it saved my bullpen. I was hoping we didn't have to use (Hector) Neris, (Bryan) Abreu and (Ryan) Pressly."

The Rangers' pitching didn't fare as well. After starter Andrew Heaney couldn't get out of the first inning, allowing four hits and three runs, the Astros obliterated a bullpen that utilized five pitchers who gave up seven runs.

Jose Abreu's three-run, 435-foot home run in the fourth ignited a four-run barrage that gave the Astros a 7-3 lead. Abreu also made a tremendous play at first base. He caught a vicious line drive from Corey Seager and then tagging Marcus Semien by the batting glove in his hip pocket trying to get back to first base for a double play.

Oh, and Abreu actually stole his first base since 2021.

"That ball was smoked by Seager," Baker said about Abreu's double play. "I couldn't tell from our angle if he had touched him or not. Looked like he might have touched him on his batting glove, which is right up our alley. That was another huge play. And I told Jose, I know in Cuba they don't play football, but you've got to tackle and make sure he doesn't get to the bag."

There were enough clutch performances by the Astros to fill the visiting clubhouse.

Back in the lineup, Chas McCormick drilled a two-run homer. Alvarez had two hits and three RBIs. Jose Altuve had three hits and scored three runs. Mauricio Dubon added two more hits and scored two runs.

The only Astros without a hit were Kyle Tucker and Martin Maldonado, who were a combined 0-for-9, but it didn't matter. The way their teammates hit and pitched, it was okay for them to take the night off at the plate.

If they're going to win three games in a row in Arlington, the Astros will need all their hitters to provide Verlander with more support than he got in the first game when he lost 2-0 to Montgomery. The Astros had only five hits in that defeat in the first game at Minute Maid Park.

Verlander is eager to get back on the mound and try to help his team build a three-game winning streak before returning to Houston.

"As a starting pitcher, I'm not out there and able to contribute on that given day, so I'm a fan just like everybody else and just as nervous as anybody else," Verlander said. "I get really excited to see the guys have success. Does that change going into Game 5? No, it's still a pivotal game either way."

Now it's a three-game series, and the Astros would like nothing more than to beat the Rangers a third time, return to Minute Maid Park and prove for the first time since the 2022 World Series there really is no place like home.

John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.