Houston Astros Not Panicking Heading Into Game 2

The Houston Astros are playoff veterans and trailing in a series hasn't phased them in the past. There's still no panic as they head into Game 2 of the ALCS against the Texas Rangers.

With Justin Verlander on the mound in Game 1, the Houston Astros were feeling good about their chances to get off to a good start and show their division rival Texas Rangers what playoff baseball is about.

After all, this is the Astros seventh consecutive ALCS appearance and the Rangers first since 2011 when none of the active players were on that roster.

But it was Texas who took control of the series after their pitcher Jordan Montgomery outdueled Verlander to take the Game 1 victory 2-0.

Despite facing the possibility of going down two games to none in the series, there is no panic in Houston's clubhouse.

"We lost Game 1 in the World Series last year. We've lost Game 1 of some playoff series before. And that's the great thing about this team. Obviously, nobody is sitting in the locker room right now happy. But it's very matter-of-fact: ‘OK, we just got punched. How do you answer?,'" Verlander said after the loss.

More often than not, the Astros have answered.

They went on to win the World Series last year despite losing Game 1. They've battled back to win other series they've trailed.

Manager Dusty Baker thinks that will be the case with his club once again.

"Well, this team is the best I've been around about moving on. And there's nothing you can do. If you're going to lose a game, you'd rather lose it in the first game versus in the middle of the series," he said.

There are plenty of moments that Houston can point to as reasons for why they lost the first game.

They left a runner in scoring position during the third inning, bases loaded in the fourth and a base runner error in the eighth that stopped their comeback bid.

"You kind of have to flush it in the postseason. You know it’s always going to be a battle and you know it’s going to be two of the best teams competing against each other. Tomorrow, show up ready to play and come out and try and execute," star third baseman Alex Bregman said.

The Astros will need to perform much better at the plate with the Rangers' ace Nathan Eovaldi on the mound Monday to avoid getting in a 2-0 hole.