Astros' Home Hell Continues: Fright Night In Houston Again As Texas Forces Game 7

The first thing the Houston Astros should do Monday morning is leave their homes and immediately check into the downtown Marriott.

Because Houston wishes it was on the road again.

But it will not be Monday night.

The Astros lost their fourth home game this postseason out of five, 9-2, to the Texas Rangers Sunday at downtown Houston's Minute Maid Park to force a seventh game in the American League Championship series.

That will be back at Minute Maid at 8 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

The Astros were 39-42 in the regular season at home and 51-30 away. The Rangers, on the other hand, were 50-31 at home and 40-41 at home. Houston is 1-4 at home and 5-0 on the road in this postseason. And the Rangers are 7-0 on the road and 1-3 at home.

So the Rangers are belting out Texan Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again."

Houston Astros And Texas Rangers Still Tied

They each finished 90-72 in the regular season with Houston taking the American League West on a tiebreaker. Well, they're still tied at 3-3 going into Monday night.

The winner will play the winner of the Philadelphia-Arizona National League Championship Series in the World Series. The Phillies lead that one 3-2 and host Arizona on Monday afternoon (5 p.m., TBS).

"It's the strangest thing I've ever seen," Houston manager Dusty Baker said last week while in the process of winning three straight in Arlington to take a 3-2 lead in the series going into Houston.

"They came into our place and took it to us for three straight games," Texas winning pitcher Nathan Eovaldi said after Sunday's game. "For us to be able to turn the page."

He didn't finish the sentence, but what it was was according to form. Eovaldi limited Houston to two runs on five hits through six and a third innings.

"We've got to come in ready to go," he said.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) took the loss Sunday in the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Texas will be shooting for its first World Series since 2011. Houston won the World Series last year and will be trying to go to its fifth in seven years. Texas manager Bruce Bochy could be going to his fifth World Series. He won three with San Francisco and reached one with San Diego.

"I'm not thinking about that right now," Bochy said.

Right-hander Max Scherzer (0-1, 11.25 ERA in postseason) will start for the Rangers on Monday. He lost the first game against Houston in Arlington last week. He gave up five runs on five hits in four innings. Houston will start right-hander Cristian Javier (2-0, 1.69 ERA postseason). In 10 and two-thirds innings this postseason, he has allowed but two runs. He was 10-5 with a 4.56 ERA in the regular season.

Astros fans hold sign saying "Free Abreu" before game six of the ALCS Sunday. Houston pitcher Bryan Abreu will have a suspension appeal hearing on Monday.(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Rangers Slugger Adolis Garcia Gained Revenge Vs. Astros

Houston will learn Monday if it will have relief pitcher Bryan Abreu available. He has an appeal hearing with Major League Baseball officials over his two-game suspension handed out Saturday for intentionally hitting Adolis Garcia in Friday night's game. Abreu appealed the suspension shortly before Sunday's game, which meant he could pitch Sunday while awaiting the hearing's result. He struck out Garcia in relief.

Garcia struck out four times in all. Then he drove in four runs in the top of the ninth inning with a grand slam for the 9-2 final. He twisted around third and pointed to the Houston fans on his way home.

Bryan Abreu and Adolis Garcia could face one another again Monday night.

Advantage accidental Texas tourists.