MLB postseason schedule: ALCS Game 6, Rangers at Astros

The American League Championship Series will return to Houston as the Astros host the Rangers in Game 6 on Sunday night.

Game 5 featured a dramatic ninth-inning three run home run from Astros second baseman Jose Altuve to give Houston a one run lead, lifting them to a 5-4 victory. Houston has won three consecutive games in the series and eight straight games at Globe Life Field since July 2.

In similar fashion to the 2019 World Series between the Astros and Nationals, every win has come via the away team. The Astros have a chance of reaching their third straight World Series appearance — and fifth appearance since 2017 — if they can win one game at home, where they finished 39-42 in the regular season. Texas will have to claw their way back from a 3-2 deficit if they want to reach their first World Series in 12 years.

The Rangers will send right hander Nathan Eovaldi and the Astros will use left-hander Framber Valdez to start Game 6.

Eovaldi in 19⅔ postseason innings this year has won all three starts, pitching to a 2.29 ERA while striking out 24 and walking just a single hitter. Eovaldi in his Game 2 start tossed six innings and struck out nine, but did allow three runs, including two solo home runs.

Valdez in the postseason this season has tossed seven innings across two starts, posting an 11.57 ERA, a polar opposite from the 1.44 ERA he had in 25 innings from his team’s championship run just a season ago. Valdez struggled in the first inning of Game 2, allowing four runs to score in the first inning and managing to toss just 2⅔ innings before being pulled.

Sunday ALCS Schedule

5:03 p.m. PT: Rangers at Astros (FS1)
Game 6: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Framber Valdez
Astros lead 3-2