Rangers vs. Astros ALCS Game 3: Astros chase Max Scherzer early, cut Rangers' series lead to 2-1

It wasn't a great start for Max Scherzer in his first outing since Sept. 12. A hit by pitch, a walk and a wild pitch, along with a pair of singles, plated three runs for the Houston Astros in the second inning, which marked their first time leading in this ALCS vs. the Texas Rangers.

It was a barrage of hits and defense from there, with the Astros ultimately prevailing 8-5 on Wednesday to make the series 2-1. Jose Altuve got in on the action with his first hit of the series and his 25th career postseason home run.

Scherzer made it through four while giving up five runs in his first postseason start with Texas. For the Astros, Cristian Javier didn't allow a baserunner until a third-inning walk and didn't surrender a hit until Nathaniel Lowe singled in the fifth. Josh Jung made him pay with a two-run homer that got the Rangers back in the game.

Then Leody Taveras energized the home crowd even further with a dramatic home run robbery on Yordan Alvarez.

In the seventh, the Astros tacked on two more before Jung hit another two-run home run to make it 7-4.

See below for more news, scores and highlights from Game 3 of the all-Texas ALCS.