HOUSTON — Jordan Montgomery shut down the Houston Astros and Leody Taveras homered as the Texas Rangers did just enough against Justin Verlander to get a 2-0 win in the opener of the AL Championship Series Sunday night.
Montgomery pitched five-hit ball over 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Taveras provided a two-run lead with his solo homer in the fifth. Evan Carter, a 21-year-old rookie, doubled and scored in the second and made two nifty defensive plays in left field.
The Rangers, in the ALCS for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2010-11, improved to 6-0 this postseason after sweeping the Rays in the Wild Card Series and the Orioles in the Division Series. The winning streak followed loses in their previous six playoff games against Toronto in the ALDS in 2015 and 2016.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Monday in Houston.
The playoff-tested Astros, in the ALCS for a seventh straight year, had a tough time getting anything going against Montgomery. The top four batters in Houston’s lineup were 2 for 12 with five strikeouts against the left-hander. Slugger Yordan Alvarez struck out against him three times.
Houston's offensive woes came after it hit 16 homers and outscored the Rangers 39-10 in a three-game sweep in September. Things were much different in the first postseason meeting between these in-state rivals as they managed just five singles.
Montgomery has been great in the last month, allowing just two earned runs over 27 innings in his last four starts of regular season, and posting a 2.08 ERA in three postseason starts.
Verlander allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings to mark the first time this postseason where both starters pitched into the seventh. It was the 36th postseason start for Verlander and the MLB-record 14th time he’s started a playoff series opener.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw 27 fastballs without getting a single swing and miss.
Josh Sborz walked Jose Altuve starting the eighth and was replaced by Aroldis Chapman. The Rangers turned a double play when Carter made a great grab on the track on a ball hit by Alex Bregman and Altuve was called out for not retouching second base when he retreated to first after Carter’s catch.
Altuve initially called safe, but the Rangers challenged the play, and it was overturned in a video review. Alvarez following with an inning-ending groundout.
Jose Leclerc struck out one in a perfect ninth for the save and the Rangers' second shutout of the playoff.
Carter got things going for Texas with a hustle double on a grounder with one out in the second before scoring on a single by Jonah Heim. John Jung singled with two outs, Taveras walked to load the bases and Verlander limited the damage by retiring Marcus Semien on a fly ball.
Verlander had retired eight in a row when Taveras drove a hanging slider 398 feet into the seats in right field with one out in the fifth.
The Astros had chances to score in the third and fourth innings. Martín Maldonado walked with one out in the third before a two-out single by Bregman. But they were both stranded when Alvarez struck out.
Three straight singles by Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubónand Jeremy Peña loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth. Montgomery wriggled out of the jam again when he struck out Maldonado to end the inning.
Heim walked to open the seventh and a two-out single by Taveras chased Verlander. Hector Neris took over and retired the next two batters.
Carter robbed Bregman of a hit with one out in the first. He sprinted before leaping to make the catch and crashing into the scoreboard wall in left field and knocking out one of squares.
UP NEXT
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (0-1, 10.38 ERA) opposes RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-0, 1.32) in Game 2. Eovaldi grew up in suburban Houston and attended Alvin High School, which is also the alma mater of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.
“It’s awesome,” Eovaldi said. “I’m going to have a lot of friends and family here for the game. Anytime we’re in this stage in this moment right here, being this close to the World Series, it’s a big deal. Doesn’t matter where we’re playing at, it’s a big honor for us to be here.”
RELATED: For just $2, you can head to Minute Maid Park to watch The Astros when they play in Arlington
Game updates and highlights
First inning
Houston 0, Texas 0
Marcus Semien grounded out for the first out of the game. Corey Seager singled through the right side and Mitch Garver grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Jose Altuve flew out to left field for the first out. Alex Bregman lined out for the second out and Yordan Alvarez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Second inning
Texas 1, Houston 0
Adolis García grounded out on the first pitch of the second inning. Evan Carter then doubled to right on a ball that kicked off José Abreu's glove. Jonah Heim brought him in to score on a base hit to center.
Nathaniel Lowe flew out to center field and Josh Jung singled to left, moving Heim to second. Leody Taveras walked to turn the lineup over but Semien popped out to end the bases-loaded threat.
Abreu lined a single to left to start the inning. Kyle Tucker hit into a fielder's choice for the first out. Chas McCormick flew out to center for the second out and Mauricio Dubón flew out to right to end the second inning.
Third inning
Texas 1, Houston 0
Seager led off the third inning with a foul out down the third-base line, Garver flew out to center and García popped out on the infield the end the Rangers' half of the inning.
Jeremy Peña grounded out to shortstop to start the home half of the third. Martín Maldonado walked to turn the lineup over but Altuve popped out for the second out. Bregman singled to left, bringing up Alvarez with two on and two out but he went down swinging to end the threat.
Fourth inning
Texas 1, Houston 0
Carter grounded out to second, Heim fouled out and Lowe flew out to left to end Texas' half of the fourth.
Abreu struck out swinging before Tucker flew out to center. McCormick singled to center and then Dubón singled to left. Peña singled to load the bases for Maldonado, who struck out swinging to end the inning.
Fifth inning
Texas 2, Houston 0
Jung struck out before Taveras homered to right.
Semien lined out to center for the second out and Seager went down swinging to end the frame.
Altuve lined out to left for the first out in the home half of the fifth. Bregman grounded out and Alvarez went down swinging to end the inning, his third strikeout of the game.
Sixth inning
Texas 2, Houston 0
Garver struck out looking, García fouled out and Carter lined out to right for a one-two-three inning for Verlander.
Abreu struck out swinging to lead off the home half of the sixth. Tucker grounded out to Montgomery and McCormick grounded out to third to end the inning.
Seventh inning
Texas 2, Houston 0
Heim walked to lead off the seventh and then Lowe struck out looking. Jung went down swinging but Taveras singled to center to keep the inning alive for the Rangers. After throwing his 101st pitch of the game, Verlander was pulled in favor of Héctor Neris, who got Semien to foul out to end the inning.
Dubón lined out to center for the first out, which proved to be Montgomery's final batter. The Rangers brought in Josh Sborz, who got Peña to pop out to center. Yainer Díaz pinch hit for Maldonado and grounded out to shortstop on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
Eighth inning
Texas 2, Houston 0
Neris stayed in the game and got Seager swinging for the first out. Garver grounded out and García popped out to end the inning.
Sborz stayed in the game to face Altuve, who walked. Aroldis Chapman relieved Sborz and Bregman flew out to the wall for the first out and Altuve was doubled off after not tagging second base on his way back to first. Alvarez grounded out for the final out of the frame.
Ninth inning
Texas 2, Houston 0
Bryan Abreu relieved Neris and got Carter looking for the first out. Heim grounded out on the first pitch he saw and Lowe went down swinging to end the inning.
José Leclerc came on to try to save the game and José Abreu lined out to center to lead off the home half of the inning. Tucker grounded out and McCormick struck out to end the game.