MLB playoffs 2023: Astros power past Twins, Rangers eke out victory vs. Orioles in ALDS Game 1

The MLB postseason train just doesn't stop.

The Rangers and Orioles kicked off a four-game slate of Saturday playoff action with ALDS Game 1 in Baltimore. Orioles fans brought the energy to Camden Yards and were treated to edge-of-your-seat competition until the final out, even though it didn't result in a win for the home team.

Then the Twins arrived in Houston, fresh off their first postseason series victory in 21 years. There they met the buzzsaw that is the Astros in October — but not without putting up a fight.

No. 3 Minnesota Twins at No. 2 Houston Astros, Game 1: Astros 6, Twins 4 (Houston leads 1-0)

Game summary:

Minnesota Twins fans said they wanted the Houston Astros … but it turns out they wanted absolutely no part of Yordan Alvarez. The left fielder hit two home runs Saturday, single-handedly scoring half of the Astros’ six runs in their Game 1 victory at Minute Maid Park.

And while Alvarez led the way for Houston, he had help from every part of the roster, as eight of the nine starters recorded a hit, four players brought in a run, and Justin Verlander was superb on the mound. The 40-year-old righty went six innings, giving up four hits and three walks while striking out six, continuing his recent history of dominance vs. the Twins.

The Twins didn’t score until Verlander was replaced by Hector Neris in the seventh inning, when the team found immediate success against him. Jorge Polanco hit a three-run homer to right field to cut the Astros’ lead to 5-3. In the next at-bat, Royce Lewis hit a solo shot to left to cut the deficit to one.

Alvarez hit the final run of the game with his second home run dinging off the fair side of the foul pole in the seventh inning. The Twins squandered their last best chance to cut into the lead or tie the game when Carlos Correa hit a double in the top of the eighth. He reached third easily on a wild pitch, but ultimately none of Minnesota’s bats were able to bring him home.

Impact player:

A war of words is only fun when each side actually does something. Twins fans said they wanted the Astros, who swept the Twins in the 2020 wild-card series. Give Twins fans a little grace; their team did just win its first playoff series since 2002, ending a record-setting postseason losing streak in the process. But ahead of Saturday’s game, Alvarez pointed out that Houston heard that a lot last year … en route to a World Series title.

With the Astros ahead 1-0 in the third, Alvarez let his bat do the talking, obliterating a two-run shot to right field. His 379-foot homer was the second long ball given up by Bailey Ober on the day, following a leadoff homer by Jose Altuve.

And Alvarez’s day wasn’t finished, as he walked and scored in the fifth and then hit a 384-foot home run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Astros a 6-4 lead.

Key moment:

The Twins made it a contest with a four-run seventh inning. After Matt Walner was hit by a pitch and Ryan Jeffers singled, Jorge Polanco walloped a three-run home run with two outs and Royce Lewis immediately followed with another homer. Suddenly, the Astros led by only one run.

Bryan Abreu came in to replace Hector Neris and was met by a Max Kepler double. But with the tying run on second and the leading run at the plate, Abreu was able to get Alex Kirilloff swinging to end the threat and salvage Houston's lead.

What’s next?

Game 2 begins at 8:03 p.m. ET Sunday in Houston. Pablo López takes the ball for the Twins five days after leading the franchise to its first postseason win since 2004, and Framber Valdez gets the start for the reigning champion Astros. The Astros are looking to take a 2-0 series lead, while the Twins will hope to salvage a split before heading home.

No. 5 Texas Rangers at No. 1 Baltimore Orioles, Game 1: Rangers 3, Orioles 2 (Texas leads 1-0)

Game summary:

As the Texas Rangers prepared to face the No. 1 seed Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards, David Ortiz was the only analyst on the Fox Sports pregame show who picked the underdogs to win.

Despite all the talk about the Orioles’ experience in close games, the Rangers proved the Hall of Famer right, as they beat the Orioles 3-2 and took the edge going into Game 2 of their five-game set.

After rainy weather pushed back the start of the game, there was no evidence of that delay once the first pitch was thrown. The sun came out, and the home crowd yelled its share of “O’s.” Baltimore fans had good reason to cheer at first, as Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish dominated with five strikeouts through the first two scoreless innings. However, by the time the right-hander’s day ended, he’d given up two runs and struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings.

The Rangers were first on the board thanks to an RBI double in the fourth from rookie Evan Carter, which was followed by an RBI single from catcher Jonah Heim that put Texas up 2-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Orioles brought the crowd back to life with a one-out walk from Anthony Santander and a double to the left-field wall from Ryan Mountcastle that got Baltimore within one.

Texas added to its lead in the top of the sixth with a reminder that they have more than one rookie threat. Josh Jung notched his first career postseason homer off Jacob Webb to make it 3-1. In what seemed like an immediate answer, Santander helped Baltimore get back within one with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.

The Orioles had one more chance in the ninth, when Gunnar Henderson led off with a single. But a key caught stealing ended the threat as the Rangers moved to 3-0 this postseason.

Key moment:

The Rangers did the bulk of their scoring in the fourth inning Saturday, and it could’ve been much more. After a Robbie Grossman strikeout, Adolis Garcia doubled, Carter doubled, and Heim singled to put Texas up 2-0.

Two more singles then loaded the bases, bringing Marcus Semien to the plate with two outs. But Bradish struck him out to limit the damage and get out of the inning.

Impact player:

The “little savior” did it again. Evan Carter’s day Saturday: walk, double, walk, groundout. The groundout marked only the second time this postseason that he didn’t reach base safely, and the double, of course, drove in the Rangers’ first run of the game before he came around to score their second.

What’s next?

Game 2 of this ALDS is set for 4:07 p.m. ET Sunday in Baltimore. Texas will send Jordan Montgomery to the mound following his strong outing in Game 1 of the wild-card series. Baltimore will counter with rookie Grayson Rodriguez making his first career postseason start as the Orioles look for a split before the series heads to Arlington.