Game highlights: Astros’ comeback bid falls short in Game 2 loss to Rangers

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros were looking to bounce back in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series after getting shut out by the Texas Rangers in Game 1 but their comeback attempt fell just short.

Houston is down 2-0 in the series with Game 3 in Arlington on Wednesday.

Framber Valdez started for Houston against Nathan Eovaldi for Texas.

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Marcus Semien singled on the first pitch of the game and Corey Seager reached on a bloop single to left on the second pitch. Robbie Grossman hit a ground ball to Valdez, who threw the ball away trying to get Grossman at first. Semien scored, Seager moved up to third and Grossman got to second.

Adolis García singled to right on the first pitch he saw making it 2-0 Rangers still with no outs.

Mitch Garver singled to left to make it 3-0.

Jonah Heim struck out swinging. Nathaniel Lowe singled through the left side to make it 4-0.

Josh Jung struck out swinging and Leody Taveras flew out to center to end the inning.

Jose Altuve flew out to right field for the first out of the home half of the first. Alex Bregman grounded out to third on the first pitch he saw and Kyle Tucker lined out to first to end it.

Semien singled on the first pitch he saw for the second time in the game. Seager struck out swinging and Grossman grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out. García got hit in the foot but Valdez got Garver swinging to end the inning.

Yordan Alvarez connected on a solo homer to right to get Houston on the board.

José Abreu grounded out for the first out. Michael Brantley went down looking and Jung made a great play on Chas McCormick’s grounder for the final out of the frame.

Valdez remained in the game and Heim homered to the Crawford Boxes to get the run right back.

Lowe and Jung struck out swinging for the first two outs of the inning. Taveras worked a walk and that marked the end of Valdez’s day. Rafael Montero came in and got Semien to strike out to end the inning.

Jeremy Peña flew out to right, Martín Maldonado struck out swinging and Altuve grounded out to short to end the frame.

McCormick made a diving play on Seager’s liner for the first out of the fourth. Evan Carter entered the game as a pinch hitter for Grossman and flew out to left for the second out. García struck out swinging to end the top half of the inning.

Bregman homered to left to open the home half of the fourth inning.

Tucker popped out on the infield for the first out. Alvarez went down looking and Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning.

J.P. France relieved Montero to start the inning and got Garver to foul out for the first out. Heim flew out to right field and Lowe flew out to center to end the inning.

Brantley singled to lead off the inning. McCormick followed with another single, bringing up Peña, who reached on an error by Jung to load the bases. Yainer Díaz came on as a pinch hitter for Maldonado but went down swinging for the first out of the inning. Altuve also went down swinging before Bregman grounded out to end the inning.

France stayed in the game to face Jung in the sixth and got him to line out to center for the first out. Taveras tripled to center but Semien lined into a double play to end the inning.

Tucker opened the home half of the sixth with a swinging strikeout. Alvarez worked a walk but Abreu struck out swinging for the second out. Brantley then doubled home Alvarez to make it 5-3.

McCormick struck out swinging to end the inning.

France got Seager swinging for the first out. Carter worked a walk, which ended France’s night. Phil Maton came on in relief and got García to ground out for the second out. Garver grounded out for the last out of the inning.

Josh Sborz relieved Eovaldi to start the inning and face Peña, who grounded out for the first out. Díaz grounded out for the second out and Altuve struck out looking to end the inning.

Bryan Abreu relieved Maton in the eighth. Heim went down swinging, Lowe popped out and Jung struck out swinging to end the inning.

Aroldis Chapman relieved Sborz in the eighth and got Bregman to pop out on the first pitch he threw. Tucker grounded out but Alvarez hit a solo homer to right to make it a one-run game.

José Leclerc was called in from the bullpen to replace Chapman to face José Abreu, who worked a five-pitch walk. Brantley also walked, bringing up McCormick, who grounded out to end the inning.

Ryan Pressly came on to start the ninth and walked Taveras on four pitches. A wild pitch during Semien’s at-bat moved Taveras to second. Pressly bounced back to get Semien swinging and Seager to ground out for the first two outs of the frame. Carter grounded out to end the top of the ninth.

Leclerc remained in the game to face Peña, who lined out to the right-field wall for the first out. Díaz grounded out for the second out and Altuve flew out to end the game.

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