Rangers and Phillies Up 2-0 in League Championship Series

The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers both finished the regular season with records of 92-70 in the American League West, but the Astros were the division champions based on their regular season record of 9-4 vs. the Rangers. But regular season records have gone out the window in this postseason, with only the Astros and three Wild Cards remaining while the 100 win Orioles, Dodgers, and Braves are gone. Against this backdrop, Houston hosted Texas in the first two games of the American League Championship Series.

Game 1 was a display of excellent post season pitching by both clubs, with the Rangers’ Jordan Montgomery up against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander for the Astros. Both were trade deadline pickups this season. Verlander allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings, while Montgomery was a little better, pitching 6 1/3 shutout innings. Neither club’s bullpens allowed a run, and the Rangers won 2-0 to take the first game of the series.

Texas got off to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning of Game 2, and then held on for a 5-4 win. Yordan Alvarez hit a pair of solo home runs for Houston, but the Astros find themselves down two games to none as the series shifts to Arlington. The Astros were 6-1 vs. Texas in the Rangers’ home ballpark, but Texas is red hot right now, and is 7-0 in the post season.

In the National League Championship Series, the Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Game 1, Philadelphia got off to a 5-0 fifth inning lead off Zac Gallen, helped by three solo home runs off the Arizona ace right hander. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler allowed two runs in six innings, and Philadelphia took down Arizona 5-3.

Game 2 was a Phillies’ blowout victory. Philadelphia scored four runs in both the 6th and 7th innings, and Arizona could generate no offense and the Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the series with a 10-0 shutout. Kyle Schwarber had a pair of home runs to lead the way. The series moves to Arizona, where Philadelphia too three of four from the Diamondbacks in the regular season.

The Phillies are 7-1 in the post season, and have been pounding the ball. They’ve hit 19 home runs and scored 46 runs in eight post season games. Trea Turner has three homers and is 15 for 30 at the plate with four stolen bases, J.T. Realmuto has 10 RBIs, and Bryce Harper is 10 for 26 with four homers and seven RBIs to highlight a few of the offensive weapons deployed.