2023 MLB playoffs: LCS Phillies, Astros, takeaways, more،
It was an eventful Thursday in the League Championship Series as the 2023 MLB playoffs continued.
The Arizona Diamondbacks picked up a big win at home after a rough 0-2 start in the NLCS, as Ketel Marte earned a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3. The Houston Astros continued their dominance in Arlington, Texas, tying the series at 2-2 with a 10-3 victory over the Texas Rangers.
We’re covering all the action with live updates and takeaways from Texas and Arizona as the games unfold.
Key links: Complete playoff schedule and results
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Takeaways
Astros 10, Rangers 3: Clearly, the Astros just needed to get out of Houston. The defending champions have inexplicably performed better on the road than at home this season and were utterly dominant in Arlington. The trend continued into an American League Championship Series that suddenly swung in the Astros’ favor. One night, after an eight-run effort in Game 3, the Astros got nine hits and eight RBIs from the top five hitters in their lineup (Jose Altuve, Mauricio Dubon, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Jose Abreu ).
They took a 3-0 lead over Andrew Heaney in the first set. After the Rangers came back to tie it, they put together a deflating four-run fourth, highlighted by Abreu’s 438-foot two-out, three-run run to left-center field. Chas McCormick, their No. 7 hitter, essentially shut down the Rangers with his two-run homer in the seventh. With the series tied at 2, the Astros once again have home field advantage. Better yet: They didn’t need to use any of their high-leverage relievers in Game 4, which set them up for a critical Game 5 that will see Jordan Montgomery face Justin Verlander again. The Astros are inevitable. – Alden Gonzalez
Diamondbacks 2, Phillies 1: It only takes one play. That’s what the Diamondbacks told themselves Thursday. The Phillies looked unbeatable. He was a machine, built to cruise through the playoffs. And even in a game where the Phillies offense struggled against Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt, their own starter, Ranger Suarez, matched him zero for zero. But Arizona did not give in. He answered the Phillies’ seventh inning with one of his own, then came the ninth. The Diamondbacks loaded the bases, and Ketel Marte hit a single against Craig Kimbrel, and the sold-out crowd at Chase Field went crazy for the Diamondbacks saving their season.
Next comes game 4 – a wild card. The Diamondbacks, without a suitable starter, go into a complete game. The Phillies will choose either Taijuan Walker or Cristopher Sanchez, each of whom last pitched on September 30. This is as winnable a game as the Diamondbacks will have from here, and after knocking off two division winners in Milwaukee and Los Angeles. , it is not advisable to doubt it further. –Jeff Passan
