Did Dusty Baker Just Brush Off Astros' ALCS Opener Loss?

• MLB

In an intense kickoff to the AL Championship Series, the Houston Astros faced a daunting 2-0 shutout at the hands of the Texas Rangers. The evening was dominated by masterful pitching, making it a challenging environment for hitters on both teams.

Jordan Montgomery of the Rangers showcased exemplary control, silencing the Astros for 6.1 innings and allowing a mere five hits. During the fourth inning, he skillfully dodged a potential crisis, fending off the Astros even with two outs and bases loaded, and thereafter maintained a no-hit status.

On the other side, Astros' veteran Justin Verlander marked another feather in his cap by playing his 36th postseason game. His evening was highlighted by yielding just two runs, one of them being an RBI-single by Jonah Heim and the other, a solo homer struck by Loedy Traveras.

Baker's Resilient Stance

However, despite the scoreboard, Astros' manager Dusty Baker displayed resilience. He pointed out that this isn't the first time the Astros have been in this predicament. Rewinding history, the Astros, after losing the first match of a playoff series at home, went on to seize victory in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Reflecting on the team's spirit, Baker stated, “This squad excels in rebounding. While an early series loss isn't ideal, it's preferable to a mid-series defeat. We're gearing up for [Nathan] Eovaldi's pitch tomorrow, but we're equally confident with Framber [Valdez] taking the lead for us”.

However, history suggests that the Astros have an uphill battle. Teams clinching the opening game in a best-of-seven series have historically gone on to seize the series 121 times out of 188. Delving deeper, in the current 2-3-2 home-road playoff structure, the inaugural victor has a win rate of 54%, translating to 39 out of 70 series.

While Baker's confidence radiates through the team, statistics offer a cautionary tale. It will be a gripping series to follow, as the Astros look to defy the odds once more.