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Texas Rangers, Houston Astros Benches Clear After Adolis Garcia Hit By Pitch in ALCS Game 5

Texas Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker and reliever Bryan Abreu were ejected in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.
Art Garcia|
Texas Rangers, Houston Astros Benches Clear After Adolis Garcia Hit By Pitch in ALCS Game 5
Texas Rangers, Houston Astros Benches Clear After Adolis Garcia Hit By Pitch in ALCS Game 5

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ARLINGTON, Texas – The bad blood between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros finally spilled over in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, as the benches cleared and ejections were made after Adolis García was hit by pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday at Globe Life Field.

The Astros would win 5-4 on a Jose Altuve three-run homer in the ninth to take a 3-2 lead with the series going back to Houston. Game 6 is Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

García had given the Rangers a 4-2 in the sixth on a three-run homer off Astros ace Justin Verlander. On the home run trot, García took is time with the bat held in his right hand for several steps before slamming it to the turf. He stepped on home plate emphatically, matching the ear-splitting intensity of the sellout crowd.

The next time García came to bat, Houston reliever Bryan Abreu drilled García in the side. García immediately had words with catcher Martin Maldonado, and the benched and bullpens emptied on both sides.

The finger pointing and harsh words continued for several minutes around home plate. No punches appeared to be thrown. Houston’s Yordan Alvarez eventually tied to calm García. Both are Cuban natives.

Abreu and García were ejected, as was Astros manager Dusty Baker. By the time play was continued, about 25 minutes had passed. 

The All-Star slugging right fielder drilled the first pitch he saw from Verlander in the sixth into the left-field seats to give Texas its first lead in three home games and since sweeping two games in Houston to start the series.

García’s 396-foot blast off a 95-mph fastball scored Corey Seager and Evan Carter, erasing a 2-1 Houston lead.

Garcia Blast Gives Rangers First Lead

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Art Garcia
ART GARCIA

Art Garcia (@ArtGarcia92) has watched, wondered and written about those fortunate few to play games since the 1990s. Award-winning stops at NBA.com, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and San Antonio Express-News dot a career that includes extensive writing for such outlets as ESPN.com, FOXSports.com, CBSSports.com, The Sporting News, among others. He is a former professor of sports reporting at UT Arlington and continues to work in the communications field. Garcia began covering the Dallas Mavericks right around Mark Cuban purchasing the club in 2000. The Texas A&M grad has also covered the Cowboys, Rangers, TCU, Big 12, Final Fours, countless bowl games, including the National Championship, and just about everything involving a ball in Texas.

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