How Astros Set Up 'Baddest Dude' Altuve's Home Run In Game 5 of ALCS

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Altuve’s home run in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers on Friday night is just another piece of the incredible career the Houston Astros great has put together.

But even he admits it shouldn’t be the focus of the Astros’ 5-4 win over the Rangers in Game 5 of the ALCS.

Yes, he hit the home run. But Houston was down 4-2 at the time. He needed a chance to hit again and he needed baserunners.

He got both leading up to his incredibly well-timed home run.

“I know everyone is talking about the homer, but if you go and see (Yainer) Diaz’s hit and then Singleton walked, especially when he hasn’t played in a lot of days, and coming from the bench facing probably one of the best closers (Texas’ Jose Leclerc) right now in the playoffs,” Aluve said. “So I think the key was those two guys.”

Diaz came into pinch-hit for Jeremy Pena and laced a leadoff single off Leclerc to left field. Then, the Astros pinch-hit Singleton — who hadn’t taken an at-bat since the regular season — for catcher Martin Maldonado.

Singleton managed to draw a walk, making Altuve the go-ahead run.

“Without those two at-bats, Altuve is not up in that situation,” Houston starter Justin Verlander said.

But there is one other hit worth mentioning, and it didn’t come in the ninth inning. It came in the eighth.

With Texas up two runs, they brought in Aroldis Chapman to face the heart of the Astros order — Yordan Alvarez, Jose Abreu and Kyle Tucker. It gave the Rangers a lefty-on-lefty matchup with two of those hitters. If Chapman could retire the side in order, then Leclerc would face the bottom three hitters in the ninth and, potentially, avoid Altuve.

Chapman struck out Alvarez. He got Abreu to fly out to right field.

But Tucker? He sliced an opposite-field double to left field. After a Texas pitching change, Leclerc retired Chas McCormick.

But, Tucker’s hit guaranteed Altuve would get one more at-bat and another chance to add to his illustrious resume.

And while Houston's manager Dusty Baker fully acknowledged what Diaz and Singleton did before Altuve, he also acknowledged it takes someone like Altuve to close the deal.

“This dude (Altuve) is one of the baddest dudes I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some greats,” Baker said.

2023 ALCS schedule (FOX/FS1)

Game 1: Rangers 2, Astros 0

Game 2: Rangers 5, Astros 4

Game 3: Astros 8, Rangers 5

Game 4: Astros 10, Rangers 3

Game 5: Astros 5, Rangers 4 (Astros lead series, 3-2)

Game 6: Sunday at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (FS1)

Game 7*: Monday at Houston, 7:03 p.m. (Fox/FS1)

*If necessary