Dusty Baker wasn't lying about big adjustments to Astros Game 3 lineup

THAT'S BOLD

Astros Dusty Baker

Uncle Mike is hitting second Wednesday night. Composite image by Brandon Strange.

The Houston Astros have been struggling to get their bats going through the first two games of the ALCS, so manager Dusty Baker hinted some changes could be coming, and with Kyle Tucker specifically.

Tucker hit 3rd in Game 2 of the ALCS, but he finds himself down in the 6 spot for Game 3 against Max Scherzer. One of the other changes to the lineup involves Michael Brantley. Brantley has been vaulted up to the number two spot, with Bregman now hitting 3rd.

The other big takeaway from tonight's lineup is the absence of Chas McCormick. McCormick had some rough at-bats in Game 2 of the ALCS, so Baker is opting to give Mauricio Dubon a shot in center field for Game 3.

Dubon will hit 7th behind Kyle Tucker. McCormick is actually hitting over .300 for the postseason, so he's actually playing better than it appears. However, Dubon is also one of the Astros four hitters hitting over .300 in the playoffs, so hopefully he continues to have more success on Wednesday night.

At the end of the day, the Astros will need their marquee players to step up if they want to secure a victory and eventually even the series with the Rangers. Go 'Stros!

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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis GarcĂ­a allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.

There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.

Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.

Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.

He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.

Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.

Key moment

The home run by Peraza.

Key stat

It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.

Up next

LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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