Today is probably not a good day to mess with the Houston Astros

The Astros have come roaring back in this ALCS by continuing something they'd been doing during the regular season. That is, kicking the crap out of the Rangers at Globe Life Field. On July 2nd, after having split the first two games of a 4-game set, the Astros beat the Rangers 5-2. They won the series the next day with a crazy 12-11 win in which they'd blown an early 10-2 lead. They fell behind 11-10 in the bottom of the 8th only to score two in the top of the 9th.

Two months later, the Astros returned to Arlington and played that series as if they had received word at the team hotel of some Rangers saying unkind things about their mothers. The Astros absolutely lowered the boom on Texas by crunching them by scores of 13-6, 14-1, and 12-3. The Astros pounded out FIFTY hits in the series and smacked an unbelievable 16 home runs, five of them by Jose Altuve. 

This domination has continued this week with the Astros jumping out to big early leads in Games 3 and 4.

Which brings us to this afternoon's Game 5. This is the final road game of the series for the Astros, and there's no better time than right now to take careful note of what these boys have been doing all season on the road, specifically in the final game of a road series. The Astros finished with the third best road record in baseball at 51-30, one game behind the Orioles and the Braves who both went 52-29. Including the playoffs, the Orioles finished 52-30. The Braves finished 52-31. The Astros now stand alone as the best road team in 2023 with a spectacular 55-30 record. But it's the final game of a road series where the Astros were true asskickers. They went an incredible 21-5 in the final game of a road series, 22-5 if you count their Game 4 clincher last week in Minnesota. 

That's crazy, but it gets even crazier. That 22-5 record stood at only 7-4 after a 5-0 loss in Cleveland on June 11th. Here are the results of the next 16 road finales for the defending World Series champions:

June 25th - they defeated the Dodgers, 6-5

June 29th - they defeated the Cardinals, 14-0

July 3rd - they defeated the Rangers, 12-11

July 16th - they defeated the Angels, 9-8

July 19th - they defeated the Rockies, 4-1

July 23rd - they defeated the A's, 3-2

August 6th - they defeated the Yankees, 9-7

August 10th - they lost to the Orioles, 5-4

August 16th - they defeated the Marlins, 12-5

August 27th - they defeated the Tigers, 17-4

August 30th - they defeated the Red Sox, 7-4

September 6th - they defeated the Rangers, 12-3

September 17th - they defeated the Royals, 7-1

September 27th - they defeated the Mariners, 8-3

October 1st - they defeated the D-Backs, 8-1

October 11th - they defeated the Twins, 3-2

Wow, winners of 15 of their last 16 road finales. After losing that game in Baltimore on August 10th, they won their last 7 regular season road finales by an average score of 10-3! After the 8-3 win in Seattle on September 27th, Dusty Baker said "We had to have that game. That was another example of how important getaway days are. I don't know what our record is, but it's pretty good. These guys are conscious of it."

That's an interesting quote. So we know that this record of theirs isn't an accident. Dusty has had them focusing on winning road games since the season started, and the evidence is clear that this team takes the final road game of a series seriously. All of this looks very bad for the reeling Rangers, who less than 48 hours ago were walking tall with a perfect 7-0 postseason record. Now they've got to be scratching their heads wondering how they're even going to compete today against this rival that has trashed them seven times in a row in their own park.

Given all this, how can anyone consider the Rangers today, even with the gallant Jordan Montgomery going for them? The Astros just figure to do what they do.

@MrBator

Wow. What an amazing find here with this tid bit of information. 

TY!!!

LFG

i unfortuantely think you re right. as much as you are as good as the next days starting pitcher these last 2 beat downs werent just wins. texas was smooth sailing and free rollin through the postseason and just like that in the blink of an eye they are kind of in a must win game. i know the astros have sucked at home but man if you lose 3 in a row at home and one with montgomery.  i can see their asses starting to pucker at the plate today. feels like a low scoring game w verlander turning back the clock.

and another scary part for texas is kyle tucker. how that man is batting .067 with that sweet azz swing is beyond me. but mark my words today or the next game he s dropping a killer 2 or 3 run bomb. its just a matter of time.

@MrBator

 Spot on!

Appreciate an outstanding  'read'

Well done my brother...

excellent work 

best bet might be over 

things must be good in your life that you make the time to impart your wisdom,  certainly hope that to be the case.  I agree with both of you legends.  Texas then takes game 6 with Eovaldi and its winner take all game 7, Monday night at Enron Field.

Mr. Bator - Good to have you back sir.  You have been missed.  Its been some time since you've graced the forum with an analysis such as this.  

Nice write-up, great info.

And too, there's the "little man" factor. As Altuve goes, so go the Astros. And Jose is as hot as a hitter can be. My favorite money player and the money's on the table today.

Houston may not win but they've sure got the mo. Rangers will have a hard time breaking it.

Also, big BP edge in favor of the Astros.

RT2

Great Info MrBator

Great Info - Thx Bator 

Thanks for the info & BOL to the Astros today!  

Appreciate your thoughts and this write up. BOL 

What would the Covers world do without Mr. Bator...He's gold, Jerry! Gold!!!

Bator is a staple remover...removing wisdom from nooks and crannies and dropping mics since an infant.

He invented the Heisman pose...stiff arming stats since the revolution.

He puts the "K" in klass without the sass.

He is Superman's krytonite.

The original muff diver.

Well done sir...well done....

All comes down to whether Verlander has his stuff. I bet the Astro’s already though.

He's the Master of all Bators!!!

@MrBator

Perhaps unsurprising to you I hammered the Astros for the series before they even got to Texas and were down 0-2. Just knowing they were 6-1 against Texas at Globe Life (8-1 now) and they had Javier throwing one of the games was enough for me. But the information you scripted adds an even stronger level of confidence to potentially double down and take a greater position in todays game ??

@MrBator

 Love it MrB! Really good stuff. 

Stros hot bats should be able to get to Montgomery this time around.

How do you bet against the experienced 40 year Justin Verlander.

Rangers have lost there MOJO 

Last season the Astros won the final 7 road finales of the regular season and then they went 3-0 in the final road game of each of their playoff series, a run of excellence that was punctuated by their huge Game 5 win in the World Series over the Phillies. That means the Astros are 32-5 in the final road game of a series stretching back to 8/17/22.