Game highlights: Javier’s strong start leads Astros to win over Rangers in Game 3 of ALCS

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jose Altuve homered, Cristian Javier worked into the sixth inning of another solid postseason start and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 8-5 on Wednesday night, closing to 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.

Texas lost for the first time this postseason after a 7-0 start. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was gone after four innings in his first outing in more than a month after recovering from a strained shoulder muscle.

Javier set a franchise record for the defending champion Astros by extending his postseason scoreless streak to 20 1/3 innings. His streak ended in the fifth when rookie Josh Jung hit the first of his pair of two-run homers.

A 26-year-old Dominican right-hander known as “El Reptil,” Javier limited the Rangers to two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second win this postseason. Ryan Pressly, the third reliever, worked the ninth for his third save of the playoffs, inducing Jung’s game-ending, double-play grounder.

Martín Maldonado, the catcher wearing reptile-skin spikes in reference to his pitcher’s nickname, and Yordan Alvarez both had two-run singles for the Astros.

Jung hit his second two-run homer in the seventh for the wild-card Rangers, who played only their second home game this postseason. They swept Tampa Bay and Baltimore — the AL’s top two teams in the regular season — to get to their first ALCS since 2011 and their first postseason series against their instate AL West rival.

Game 4 is Thursday night and Game 5 will be Friday afternoon. The Astros have won 17 of their last 20 road games, which includes their two wins at Minnesota in the AL Division Series and a record-setting series at Globe Life Field in early September when they homered 16 times and outscored Texas 39-10 in a three-game sweep.

Philadelphia, which got swept in three games at Globe Life Field to open this season, has a 2-0 lead in the NLCS, which resumes Thursday in Arizona.

The Rangers had trailed after only one of the previous 64 innings this postseason until a three-run second that put Houston ahead to stay.

Alvarez was hit by an 89 mph cutter on his left foot to start that frame, struggling Kyle Tucker walked and Mauricio Dubón loaded the bases with a single. Alvarez came home as Scherzer bounced a wild pitch off Jonah Heim’s mitt and Maldonado, the No. 9 batter, followed with his big hit

Altuve, who went deep five times in that September series, homered leading off the third. José Abreu doubled on the first pitch in the fourth and scored a single by Dubón for a 5-0 lead.

When Scherzer got to the dugout and stopped on the steps after those consecutive Ks, there was a brief conversation with manager Bruce Bochy, who at one point motioned toward the Rangers bullpen in right-center.

The 39-year-old Scherzer, a trade-deadline acquisition from the Mets, gave up five runs and five hits. In his only postseason start for New York, he allowed seven runs and seven hits, including four homers, in 4 2/3 innings in a 7-1 loss to San Diego in the NL Wild Card Series last season.

Scherzer was dealing with forearm tightness six weeks ago when he allowed seven runs — all on three homers — over three innings in the Astros’ 12-3 win that wrapped up that September series. He threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings six days later, on Sept. 12 at Toronto, before going on the injured list because of a shoulder strain.

Javier was done after rookie Evan Carter’s hard two-out liner to right in the sixth, a ball that sailed over Tucker’s head to the wall after being misplayed into a double by the Gold Glove finalist. Hector Neris then replaced Javier, and the inning quickly ended with a defensive gem.

Left-fielder Michael Brantley, a 36-year-old five-time All-Star who returned in August after missing 14 months with a shoulder injury, sprinted more than 80 feet to make a diving catch in the gap and take an extra-base hit away from Adolis García.

That still wasn’t the best defensive play of the night.

Alvarez got robbed of what would have been his seventh homer this postseason on a 416-foot drive to straightaway center leading off the sixth, where Leody Taveras made a leaping catch with his arm extended beyond the wall.

Javier’s 20 1/3 innings passed Joe Niekro’s 18 innings for the longest scoreless streak in Astros history, for starters or relievers. It is the second-longest MLB scoreless streak for a starter in his first postseason starts, behind Christy Mathewson’s 28 innings from 1905-11.

Scherzer became the second pitcher to start for five teams in the postseason following appearances for Detroit, Washington, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. David Wells started for Cincinnati, Baltimore, the Yankees, Boston and San Diego from 1989-2006.

Jose Altuve flew out to center for the first out of the game. Michael Brantley struck out swinging and Alex Bregman flew out to center to end the inning.

Marcus Semien popped out, Corey Seager flew out to center and Evan Carter struck out swinging to end the inning.

Yordan Alvarez was hit in the foot and Jose Abreu struck out looking. Kyle Tucker walked and then Mauricio Dubon singled to left to load the bases. Jeremy Pena popped out and a wild pitch during Martin Maldonado’s at-bat scored Alvarez for Houston’s first lead of the series. Maldonado then singled to left, scoring Tucker and Dubon. Maldonado was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play.

Adolis Garcia grounded out, Jonah Heim popped out and Mitch Garver flew out to right.

Altuve homered to left to increase Houston’s lead.

Brantley flew out to left and Bregman popped out for the second out. Alvarez popped out to end the inning.

Nathaniel Lowe flew out to center, Josh Jung struck out looking and Leody Taveras worked a walk. Semien grounded out to end the inning.

Abreu doubled to left-center on the first pitch in the fourth inning. Tucker grounded out, moving Abreu to third. Dubon then singled to center to add another run for the Astros.

Pena struck out swinging and Maldonado went down looking to end the inning.

Seager flew out to center, Carter went down swinging and Garcia flew out to center to end the inning.

Cody Bradford replaced Scherzer in the top of the fifth inning. Altuve flew out to the wall in center for the first out of the frame. Brantley popped out for the second out and Bregman lined out to right to end the inning.

Heim popped out for the first out, Garver grounded out and Lowe singled through the left side of the infield for the first hit of the game for the Rangers. Jung homered to right-center to get the Rangers on the board.

Taveras flew out to left to end the inning.

Alvarez was robbed of a homer to center for the first out.

Bradford was pulled in favor of Chris Stratton to face Abreu, who lined out to right for the second out. Tucker walked and Dubon flew out to the warning track in right to end the inning.

Semien and Seager flew out and Carter doubled to right, signaling the end of Javier’s night. Hector Neris came on in relief and got Garcia to fly out to left-center to end the inning. Brantley made a diving catch on the play.

Pena grounded out and Maldonado singled to center. Stratton stayed in to face Altuve, who singled through the left side of the infield moving Maldonado to second. The Rangers then pulled Stratton in favor of Will Smith. Brantley flew out to center for the second out of the frame. Bregman walked, bringing Alvarez to the plate with the bases loaded. He delivered a two-run single to add to Houston’s lead.

The Rangers pulled Smith and put in Jon Gray, who got Abreu to fly out to center to end the inning.

Neris stayed in the game and got Heim to fly out to right for the first out. Garver struck out swinging before Lowe singled to right. Jung connected on his second homer of the game to make it 7-4.

Taveras flew out to left to end the inning.

Gray stayed in the game to face Tucker, who walked for the third time in the game. Dubon dropped a single to center, moving Tucker to third. It was Dubon’s third hit of the game. Pena then singled through the right side, scoring Tucker and making it 8-4.

Maldonado struck out swinging for the first out. Altuve hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Gray was pulled for Martin Perez, who got Brantley to ground out to end the inning.

Bryan Abreu came on in relief of Neris and walked Semien to start the inning. Seager popped out to left, Carter grounded out for the second out. Garcia singled through the right side, scoring Semien.

Heim flew out to center to end the inning.

Bregman flew out to center for the first out and Alvarez followed with a single to right. Jose Abreu fouled out and Tucker doubled to right. Alvarez was thrown out at home to end the inning.

Ryan Pressly came on for the save attempt and walked Garver to start the inning. Travis Jankowski came on as a pinch-runner for Garver. Lowe struck out swinging and Jung grounded into a double play to end the game.

GAME 1: Game highlights: Rangers shut out Astros in Game 1 of ALCS

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

KHOU 11 on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube