Astros tweak lineup for Game 2, Yordan Alvarez playing through illness

Who's in, who's out

Yordan Alvarez Astros

Yordan Alvarez is playing through a virus, per report. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros host the Texas Rangers for Game 2 of the ALCS this afternoon at Minute Maid. Manager Dusty Baker made some adjustments to the lineup, with Michael Brantley playing left field on Monday.

 

Chas McCormick will move to center field, with Mauricio Dubon out of today's starting lineup. Kyle Tucker moved up from 5th to 3rd in the lineup, with Yordan Alvarez hitting 4th and Jose Abreu hitting 5th, after he hit cleanup in Game 1.

Framber Valdez takes the mound for Houston, and Nathan Eovalde will pitch for the Rangers.


Yordan Alvarez under the weather?

Dusty Baker spoke with The Athletic's Chandler Rome about an illness Yordan Alvarez is dealing with.

Screenshot via: Chandler Rome/X.

According to reports, Yordan was not present for introductions before Game 1. Based on Alvarez's struggles at the plate (0-4 3Ks) on Sunday, it's not surprising to hear that he wasn't feeling well.

 

Let's hope Yordan is feeling much better today, and the Astros are able to even the series.

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Astros comeback hopes derailed in series opener

Astros’ late push wiped away in jaw-dropping finish

The Guardians beat the Astros, 10-6. Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images.

 Angel Martínez hit a grand slam off closer Josh Hader with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-6 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

José Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio also homered to help the Guardians beat the Astros for a second straight night after entering the series on a 10-game skid.

Out for a second inning after throwing a scoreless ninth and with a runner on starting on second, Hader (5-2) intentionally walked RamĂ­rez before walking Carlos Santana to load the bases. Hader struck out pinch-hitter Johnathan RodrĂ­guez before MartĂ­nez sent a sinker 344 feet, into the first row of the seats in left field to put the Guardians on top.

Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out one in a scoreless 10th to end it after Jakob Junis (2-1) struck out two in the ninth to earn the win.

Houston scored two runs in the eighth inning, with an RBI single from Jose Altuve, to tie it.

Altuve had two hits and drove in four runs, and rookie Cam Smith added three hits.

Houston starter Hunter Brown, who entered with an MLB-leading 1.82 ERA, yielded six hits and a season-high six runs in six innings.

There was one on with one out in the first when RamĂ­rez homered for a second consecutive game, giving the Guardians a 2-0 lead.

The Astros cut the lead to 2-1 when Isaac Paredes scored on a sacrifice fly by Altuve in the bottom of the inning.

Rocchio doubled to start the third before scoring on a one-out double by Nolan Jones, making it 3-1. A two-out single by Daniel Schneemann scored two more, extending the lead to 5-1.

Altuve’s two-run double cut the lead to 6-3 with no outs in the fifth. Houston got within 6-4 when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini.

Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo allowed five hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in four-plus innings.

Key moment

The grand slam by MartĂ­nez into the Crawford Boxes.

Key stat

It’s the first time Cleveland has won back-to-back games since beating the Athletics June 21-22.

Up next

Houston LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 4.15 ERA) opposes RHP Slade Cecconi (3-4, 3.56) when the series concludes Wednesday.

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Astros comeback hopes derailed in series opener

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