Alex Bregman's three extra-base hits included one of Houston's four home runs, and the Astros trimmed their magic number to one for clinching the American League’s last playoff spot with a 12-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
George Springer and Jose Altuve also went deep with runners on base, and like Bregman finished with three hits and three RBIs. Houston had a 10-0 lead against Lance Lynn (6-3) before its rookie starter Cristian Javier gave up his only runs in the sixth.
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Alex Bregman's three extra-base hits included one of Houston's four home runs, and the Astros trimmed their magic number to one for clinching the American League’s last playoff spot with a 12-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
The Astros (29-28) have to win only one of their three remaining games against Texas to secure second place in the AL West, and a spot in baseball’s expanded playoff during the pandemic-shortened season. They also get in if the Angels (26-31) lose any in their final three-game series against the NL-best Dodgers.
Javier (5-2) struck out six while allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one, hit a batter and threw three wild pitches. He held the Rangers without a run until Willie Calhoun's two-run homer in the sixth.
Bregman, Springer, Altuve and Reddick have been mainstays for the Astros in their recent playoff runs, including the 2017 World Series title and another AL pennant last year.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.78 ERA), who started the season on the injured list after a positive COVID-19 test, starts for the Astros when they try to clinch their playoff spot. Rookie Kyle Cody (1-1) pitches for the Raners.
Houston Astros' Alex Bregman heads to third with a triple during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Josh Reddick also had three hits, capped by a two-run homer in the ninth.
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) celebrates with George Springer (4) and Josh Reddick (22) after they scored on his three-run home run during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
The Astros (29-28) have to win only one of their three remaining games against Texas to secure second place in the AL West, and a spot in baseball’s expanded playoff during the pandemic-shortened season. They also get in if the Angels (26-31) lose any in their final three-game series against the NL-best Dodgers.
Houston's three-year reign as AL West champion has already been ended by Oakland. Seattle had the day off when the Astros won to eliminate them from the playoff chase.
Texas (19-38), which has lost four in a row, will finish at the bottom of the division.
Houston Astros' Alex Bregman (2) rounds second base after hitting a two-run home run off Texas Rangers' pitcher Lance Lynn in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Javier (5-2) struck out six while allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked one, hit a batter and threw three wild pitches. He held the Rangers without a run until Willie Calhoun's two-run homer in the sixth.
Lynn, the 33-year-old workhorse who has another year left on his Texas contract, allowed a career-high 10 runs over 5 2-3 innings.
Bregman had an RBI triple and scored in the first to put Houston ahead to stay, and Springer's 14th homer was a three-run shot on a 445-foot drive to straightway center in the second. Bregman hit a two-run homer in the fifth, an inning before Altuve's three-run shot.
Texas Rangers' Lance Lynn pitches in the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Bregman, Springer, Altuve and Reddick have been mainstays for the Astros in their recent playoff runs, including the 2017 World Series title and another AL pennant last year.
A’s right-hander Mike Fiers was the whistleblower in the Astros’ offseason sign-stealing scandal. He publicly called out his former club for cheating in an article published by The Athletic last November. Manager AJ Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow lost their jobs after MLB's investigation into the claims.
Veteran manager Dusty Baker was replaced Hinch just before spring training, and is in line to become the first major league manager to take five different teams to the postseason. He previously went to the playoffs managing the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals.
Houston Astros' George Springer (4) celebrates his home run between home plate umpire Adam Hamari and Texas Rangers catcher Jeff Mathis during the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Rookie 3B Sherten Apostel left the game because of back spasms after an awkward diving attempt to field a ball in the second inning. He was replaced in the lineup by Andrew Romine, a veteran who made his first big league appearance since September 2018 with Seattle.
UP NEXT
Houston Astros' Cristian Javier (53) pitches in the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.78 ERA), who started the season on the injured list after a positive COVID-19 test, starts for the Astros when they try to clinch their playoff spot. Rookie Kyle Cody (1-1) pitches for the Raners.
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Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras watches the ball on a home run by Houston Astros' George Springer during the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Houston Astros' Alex Bregman heads to third with a triple during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)