No Way, Jose! Texas Rangers Playoff Star Leclerc Out-Shined by Houston Astros Legend Altuve in ALCS Game 5 Comeback
ARLINGTON, Texas – If the Texas Rangers don’t come back and win the American League Championship Series, one pitch from closer José Leclerc will be remembered.
And not in a good way.
Houston Astros emotional leader Jose Altuve, a one of the all-time greats in MLB postseason history, added to his legend with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning that gave the defending champions a 5-4 lead.
It held up, as the Astros took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series that shifts to Houston for Game 6 on Sunday. A deciding seventh game, if necessary, would also be at Minute Maid Park on Monday.
Leclerc has enjoyed a roller-coaster season that started as the club’s closer before falling out of high-leverage situations all together. The right-hander worked his way back, regaining his role and excelling in the Rangers’ run to the ALCS.
With the Rangers clinging to a 4-2 lead with two outs in the eighth, Leclerc relieved Aroldis Chapman with Houston’s Kyle Tucker at second and struck out Michael Brantley to end the inning. For the first time in the postseason, Leclerc was being asked to get a four-out save.
Yainer Diaz, pinch hitting for Jeremy Pena, led off the ninth with a single off Leclerc. Jon Singleton, hitting in place of Martin Maldonado in the No. 9 spot, walked. The tying men were on base with no one out and Altuve up.
The future Hall of Famer, who hit his 25th career postseason homer earlier in the series, took a strike before depositing an 89-mph changeup 382 feet.
“Unfortunately this happened at a tough time for Jose, for Leclerc I’m talking about,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “But he’s been so good. He just – that one walk, I think, really hurt us there at that point, too. It seems like that’s always involved when they have a rally like that.
“But his stuff was still good, he just gave up a home run to a good hitter.”
Rangers left fielder Evan Carter gave the Altuve blast a good jump at the wall, but the ball was no where near the rookie’s glove and fell in the seats instead.
Make that No. 26 – the second-most in playoff history.
The sizable chunk of Astros fans in the stands erupted. The Rangers sunk.
Leclerc had finished the first seven Texas win the playoffs – a first in MLB history – and notched three saves. His eighth finished game resulted in his first loss, allowing Houston to sweep all three games in Arlington and move within a victory of another World Series berth.
The Rangers remain two wins away. With any luck, Leclerc will play part in that happening.
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