ARLINGTON, Texas — The mood in the Houston Astros' clubhouse could be described as quiet confidence following a much-needed Game 3 win in their ACLS matchup against the Texas Rangers.
Sure, the Astros have gone down this path before, doing what they needed to do to win and keep advancing through the postseason. However, after dropping the first two ACLS games at home, and having to play catch-up in both games, Houston turned the tables on Wednesday night.
The Astros jumped out to a 5-0 lead and kept the Rangers at bay to record an 8-5 victory to pull within 2-1 as Thursday night's pivotal Game 4 loomed.
If anyone thought a 2-0 lead was too much for the defending World Champions to overcome, Wednesday night was a reminder that, as Halloween creeps closer, these Astros are nightmare fuel for any team that draws them in the postseason.
Houston Astros quote to know: Dusty Baker
"We were close to winning the first two games. We were one hit away. Might not have won, but we were one hit away from at least tying it up and going ahead. But this team doesn't quit. We know that the Rangers don't quit either. And it makes it a good series."
Baker's thought about being in the first two games is a mentality that permeates throughout the Houston clubhouse. Texas outscored Houston by three combined runs to win the first two games. Baker's comments about a hit here or there turning the tide is one that his team agrees with and, on Wednesday, the Astros got those hits for the first time in the series.
Houston Astros quote to know: Alex Bregman
"I think we have a really good baseball team. Obviously, they have a really good baseball team as well. We knew that going into this series. It was going to be tough because we thought it was the two best teams in the league going at it. I think we've been punched in the mouth a lot during the postseason over the last seven years. We just have try and continue to show up and work."
The experience factor is certainly a key one for the Astros as they try to climb out of that 2-0 hole. This is a team that is used to being under the bright lights of October, as well as having a target on its collective back. That is certainly something that Houston is leaning into right now. The "been there, done that" mentality of the club is key when whatever situation in the postseason arises.
By going 0-for-4 with a walk on Wednesday, Bregman is now slashing .167/.231/.417 against Texas pitching in 13 ALCS plate appearances. Throw that on top of the .200/.294/.400 slash line he compiled in the ALDS win over Minnesota and you can see that the two-time All-Star hasn't found his rhythm just yet this offseason. However, now with 407 postseason plate appearances under his belt, Bregman (and the rest of his core teammates) can look back on what they've done in the past to help get back on track in the present.
Houston Astros quote to know: Ryan Pressly
"I don't think we ever necessarily got off track. I think it was more of just getting in the groove of things. This team has been in the postseason so many years. We know how to bounce back and hopefully keep the momentum going."
Pressly needed just 13 ninth-inning pitches to record the save on Wednesday, working around a walk to keep Texas from getting any kind of hope of recovering from a three-run deficit. The 34-year-old right-hander is a native of Dallas and admitted it was "special" to be able to record a save in nearby Arlington against the Rangers in such a pivotal moment.
Wednesday's clean ninth continued Pressly's impressive 2023 postseason run, where he has thrown 4.0 hitless and scoreless innings, striking out seven while walking just two. Pressly, Baker and the rest of the Astros feel confident that if they can get the lead late and hand the ball over to their closer, positive things will happen.
Going back over his last 26 postseason appearances (totaling 28.0 innings dating back to the 2020 ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays), Pressly has allowed just one earned run while striking out 38. That track record gives Houston plenty of confidence heading into the late innings with an advantage.