Glenn Coleman
Oct 21, 2023 - 11:20

Rangers Adolis Garcia: Hitting pitch after home run not right

The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros engaged in a heated altercation after a hit-by-pitch during the American League Championship Series.

The Texas Rangers faced a tough loss in the American League Championship Series as the Houston Astros secured a 3-2 lead with a three-run home run by Jose Altuve in the ninth inning. However, the game was not without its fair share of drama.

After hitting the biggest home run of his career, Adolis Garcia took his time rounding the bases, savoring the moment and admiring his three-run blast that gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning. But his celebration was short-lived as the next pitch he faced struck him in the right elbow pad.

Tempers flared when Bryan Abreu of the Astros hit Garcia with a fastball, resulting in a benches-clearing altercation. Both Abreu and Garcia, along with Astros manager Dusty Baker, were ejected from the game. The incident caused a delay of approximately 12 minutes.

Garcia immediately confronted catcher Martin Maldonado, and the two had to be separated multiple times. Garcia defended his celebration and criticized the Astros for their retaliatory actions, believing it was intentional.

In his post-game interview, Garcia expressed his frustration, saying, "I think we're in the postseason. It's the moment. You hit a ball like that, you're going to celebrate. It's where we're at right now. If they're trying to react to that, I don't think that's the correct way."

This altercation was not the first time the Astros and Rangers have clashed, as they are AL West rivals. Earlier in the season, tensions rose when players were hit by pitches and buzzed, leading to another benches-clearing incident. Additionally, Garcia hit a grand slam during one of their previous encounters.

Despite the hit-by-pitch putting runners on first and second with no outs, the Rangers failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Then, Altuve sealed the victory for the Astros with his go-ahead home run in the ninth inning, marking his third such homer in the postseason, the most in history.

With this win, the Astros are now one victory away from securing their third consecutive World Series appearance and their fifth in the last seven years.