The Astros got to an early lead, choked it up, and then monstered all the way to a 10-3 win. The ALCS is tied 2-2. Houston has one more opportunity in this series to take advantage of being on the road. But we know that the Astros will be forced to play at least one more game in Houston.
*FanGraphs: Houston 55.6 - 44.4 Six Flags.
*When a 7-game series is tied after four games, the Game 5 winner has won the series 71% of the time. One exception: the 2017 ALCS, when New York won Game 5 and then the Astros won Games 6 & 7.
*The Ramgers have now given up 10+ runs at home 10 times in 2023. The Astros are reponsible for five of those.
The Ramgers have allowed 402 runs in 84 games at Globe Life Park in 2023. The Astros are responsible for 81 of those (20.1%) in nine games.
The beauty about this team, there's not an easy out. When you think there's an easy out, something big happens.
*Jose Altuve was 3x4 with a walk and three runs scored. It's the 10th 3-hit postseason game of his career, and the 6th time he's scored three runs in a postseason game. Altuve's last ten plate appearances (Games 3&4): Flyout to the track, home run, flyout to the track, single, out, double, single, walk, out, double.
Jose Altuve home runs, Minute Maid Park, 2023: 5
Jose Altuve home runs, Globe Life Field, 2023: 8
*Only seven players in MLB history have appeared in 100 postseason games:
1. Derek Jeter: 158
2. Jorge Posada: 125
3. Bernie Williams: 121
4. David Justice: 112
5. Manny Ramirez: 111
6. Yadier Molina: 104
7. Jose Altuve: 100
Bregman, on Altuve:
It's been an honor to be his teammate - a Hall of Fame player and a Hall of Fame person, incredible leader every single day. From Day 1 of Spring Training, he shows up, works his tail off. He always has a smile on his face. He's so nice to everyone that he comes into contact with - players, coaches, staff, people at the stadium, fans. He's an unbelievable human being, and to be able to be his teammate, it's been an honor. Hopefully I can be his teammate forever.
*Yordan Alvarez was 2x4 with 3RBI. Those 3RBI bring his postseason total to 39 in 55 games, tying him for 4th in franchise history with Yuli Gurriel. Postseason RBI, Astros, career:
1. Carlos Correa: 59
2. Alex Bregman: 52
3. Jose Altuve: 51
4. Yordan/Gurriel: 39
6. George Springer: 38
...
13. Jeff Bagwell: 13
16. Craig Biggio: 11
Yordan has three straight postseason games with at least 2+ RBI. It's only the 28th time in MLB history that a player has three straight postseason games with multiple RBI. The last person to do it was Yordan Alvarez, who did it from 2022 World Series G6 to 2023 ALDS G2. The all-time record is four games, set by Giancarlo Stanton (2020) and Reggie Sanders (2005).
*Jose Abreu crushed a crushing three-run home run and stole a base. Thanks to the incredible Sarah Langs, we now know that Abreu is the oldest player since Fred Clarke in 1909 to hit a homer and steal a base in a playoff game. Abreu:
We're the Houston Astros, and we never give up. It was very important to give credit to all these guys here in this organization who never give up. It's up to us to be able to turn this around.
Abreu, Opening Day-June 13: 273 PAs, 3HR
Abreu, 2023 Postseason: 33 PAs, 4HR
*Mauricio Dubon was 2x5 in G4. He has started four postseason games in his career - all in 2023 - and is 8x17 with three runs scored.
*Chas McCormick hit his first postseason homer since 2022 ALCS G3, at New York.
*The Astros were 8x16 w/runners in scoring position, which is approximately nine more hits than they got with runners in scoring position in Games 1 and 2.
*The only Astros player to not get on base a single time (in a game with 10 hits and seven walks): Kyle Tucker, who went 0x5 with a strikeout.
Tucker, since hitting two homers in 2022 World Series G1: 13 games, 55 PAs, .089/.236/.156
*Bullspen Matchup, Game 4:
Ramgers: 8.1IP, 7H/7ER, 8K:6BB
Astros: 6.2IP, 3H/0ER, 5K:1BB
*Phil Maton: 2IP, 1H/0ER, 2K:0BB. It's his first postseason six-out appearance since his second career postseason appearance in 2020 Wild Card G2 against the Yankees.
*Hunter Brown: 3IP, 2H/0ER, 2K:0BB. Stanek, on Brown:
He's grown into knowing what he's supposed to be doing and how to handle himself. He came in last year, didn't have a whole lot of experience under his belt and pitched in the playoffs, did really well and then came into this year, and he's had some trials and tribulations. And he's battled and grown and learned and handled it well. It's a hard job to have, especially being a young kid and being a starter, and then he was out in the bullpen. You've got to do a lot of different things, and he's just handled it really, really well. It's awesome to see.
*Stanek is the third pitcher in baseball history to throw one pitch and get the Win in a postseason game, joining St. Louis' Jeff Fassero (2002 NLDS G2) and Lance Lynn (2011 NLCS G2).
*Justin Verlander is ready to adjust for Game 5.
*The Hall of Fame announced eight candidates for the Veterans Committee to consider for induction in 2025: Managers Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella; executives Hank Peters and Bill White; umpires Ed Montague and [snicker] Joe [guffaw] West.
*Before you see Killers of the Flower Moon, read Brian Phillips on The Legend of John Joseph Matthews.
*Esquire: Sixty years in, the Rolling Stones still have something to prove. I'm listening to "Hackney Diamonds" right now and...it's pretty damn good.
*The seven greatest Men's Health recipes of all time.
*A Musical Selection: