HOUSTON — By every statistical measure, opting to insert a left-handed pitcher to face Yordan Alvarez is the logical move. The concern is the reality of Alvarez rendering that logic moot.

Alvarez homered twice while Justin Verlander threw six shutout innings as the Houston Astros beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 in Game 1 of this American League Division Series on Saturday.

Alvarez finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs, three runs scored and a walk as the Astros secured a 1-0 lead in this best-of-five series with Game 2 set for Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

Alvarez increased the Astros’ lead to 3-0 with his two-run homer to right field off Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (0-1) with one out in the third inning, a 379-foot blast that followed Alex Bregman being hit by a pitch.

Alvarez was in the middle of a two-run inning in the fifth that enabled Houston to stretch its lead to 5-0 when he walked and scored on a Chas McCormick single.

When the left-handed-hitting Alvarez homered again with one out in the seventh, this time off Twins lefty Caleb Thielbar, his solo shot off the right-field foul pole proved critical. Minnesota had rallied to within 5-4 courtesy of a four-run seventh off Astros right-hander Hector Neris.

Alvarez produced a 1.044 OPS against right-handers during the regular season. However, his robust .892 OPS against southpaws frequently leaves opposing managers facing dilemmas.

“I think, when I’m in there hitting, I don’t think about whether I’m facing a lefty or righty,” Alvarez said. “They’ve got to throw the ball over the middle of the plate.”

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said: “I would say he’s a good hitter against everyone. It’s funny, you don’t normally talk about good players like this. He’s probably really good against righties on average and also very good against lefties.”

Stymied by Verlander, the Twins mounted a rousing comeback in the seventh against Neris, who arguably served as the most reliable reliever for Houston this season. But Matt Wallner (hit by pitch) and Ryan Jeffers (single) put Neris on the defensive immediately, and after rallying with two strikeouts, Neris surrendered a three-run homer to Twins third baseman Jorge Polanco.

Royce Lewis followed by hitting his third homer this postseason, drilling a 1-0 fastball from Neris 409 feet to left. Reliever Bryan Abreu smothered the lingering threat despite allowing a two-out double to Max Kepler in the seventh and a leadoff double to Carlos Correa in the eighth.

Astros closer Ryan Pressly retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

Verlander (1-0) used a pair of 6-4-3 double plays to navigate a rocky start, including a 23-pitch first inning that included only 10 strikes. But after allowing a leadoff double to Edouard Julien in the third, Verlander bore down. He surrendered two more baserunners and allowed four hits and three walks and posted six strikeouts. Verlander induced eight swings and misses on 25 sliders.

“I think what feels really good is that, when you start off struggling and are able to make some adjustments and find it,” Verlander said, “and the third, fourth and fifth, obviously, was able to have some things click and make some better pitches and get some easier outs.”

Jose Altuve belted his 24th postseason home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the first.

–MK Bower, Field Level Media

BALTIMORE — Josh Jung homered, Evan Carter reached base three times and the Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday.

Game 2 is set for 4:07 p.m. ET on Sunday.

“It’s always good to get the first one. It’s best out-of-five, though, we know that,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “Come in here and get the first one off a really good team. These guys found a way to get it done.”

Carter had an RBI double, two walks and a run. The 21-year-old outfielder has reached base safely in 10 of 12 plate appearances this postseason to help Texas win all three games it has played. He became the first player in Major League Baseball history to record an extra-base hit, walk and run scored in each of his first three career postseason games.

“He’s a gifted hitter, he’s got a great eye at the plate,” Bochy said. “We move him to the 5 hole and didn’t faze him one bit. Goes out there and took some great at-bats, which we needed off this (pitching) staff.”

Anthony Santander had a homer, single, walk and scored twice for Baltimore, the top seed in the AL playoffs. The Orioles were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

“That’s a tough team to beat if you score two runs,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We did a great job on the mound, the three runs. We didn’t have the offense today, we didn’t create traffic.”

Six Texas pitchers combined on a five-hitter. Andrew Heaney started for the Rangers and allowed a run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings. Dane Dunning (1-0) allowed one run in two innings. Jose Leclerc pitched the ninth for the save.

Gunnar Henderson led off the inning with a single but was caught trying to steal second.

“He was getting a big lead,” Texas catcher Jonah Heim said. “We know they like to run, and (Leclerc) gave me a good pitch to throw on and the result was good.”

Hyde called the steal attempt “a little miscommunication.”

Orioles starter Kyle Bradish (0-1) gave up two runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked one and recorded nine of Baltimore’s 16 strikeouts.

The start of the game was delayed 73 minutes by rain.

Back-to-back doubles by Adolis Garcia and Carter with one out in the fourth inning gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Heim followed with a line drive single just beyond the reach of a diving Henderson at shortstop and the lead was 2-0. Nathaniel Lowe singled and, with two outs, Leody Tavares singled to load the bases, but Bradish struck out Marcus Semien to end the inning.

The Orioles answered in their half when Santander walked and came all the way around on Ryan Mountcastle’s double into the left-field corner. With two outs, Dunning came on and walked Aaron Hicks before getting pinch-hitter Adam Frazier to pop out.

“I think we came out pretty solid today,” Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins said. “I think we came out with a lot of energy, ready to go. Had a string of good swings, just not a string of hits. I think that was the biggest issue today.”

With one out in the Texas sixth, Hyde brought in right-hander Jacob Webb to face righty Jung and the rookie homered to center on a 1-1 fastball to make it 3-1.

Santander homered to right center with one out in the sixth to pull the Orioles within 3-2.

Austin Hays and Adley Rutschman drew walks against Aroldis Chapman leading off the eighth, but Santander grounded into a double play and Mountcastle struck out.

–Harvey Valentine, Field Level Media

After a disappointing 2023 season when he struggled and was designated for assignment in August, veteran infielder Kolten Wong rebounded to earn his way onto the Los Angeles Dodgers’ National League Division Series roster.

Wong, who turns 33 on Tuesday, was released by the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 3 and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers on Aug. 18. He finished the season 9-for-30 with Los Angeles and hit two home runs, including one in his first at-bat with the club Sept. 1. He had eight RBIs.

In 67 games with the Mariners earlier in the season, Wong batted .165 with two home runs and 19 RBIs.

The Dodgers selected Wong to the roster over infielder Amed Rosario, who was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in advance of the trade deadline. Rosario, 27, batted .256 with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 48 games with the Dodgers.

In 11 major league seasons, Wong is a career .256 hitter with 86 home runs and 405 RBIs in 1,189 games for the St. Louis Cardinals (2013-20), Milwaukee Brewers (2021-22), Mariners and Dodgers. He won Gold Glove awards in 2019 and 2020.

The Dodgers open the NLDS on Saturday at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

–Field Level Media

After an early exit from the playoffs, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider will return next season, general manager Ross Atkins said Saturday.

Schneider, 43, took over as Blue Jays manager in 2022 when Charlie Montoyo was fired after a slow start. Under Schneider, Toronto went 46-28 the rest of the way last season and advanced to the playoffs. They were swept in the wild-card round by the Seattle Mariners.

The Blue Jays continued their improved play this season, going 89-73 in a stacked American League East and finishing in third place in the division. Toronto entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, with the season coming to an end in a two-game wild-card series sweep by the Minnesota Twins.

Schneider’s move to take starter Jose Berrios out of Game 2 in the fourth inning came under question. Berrios did not give up a run in three innings of work, then was removed after a walk to open the fourth inning. The Twins scored twice in the inning and went on to a 2-0 victory to win the series.

“John Schneider made that decision,” Atkins told reporters Saturday, while also responding “yes,” when asked if Schneider would return next season.

Schneider has two years remaining on a three-year contract he signed after the 2022 season ended. The contract also includes a club option for a fourth season.

–Field Level Media