Game 6 the next act in already classic ALCS

Sometimes a postseason series comes along and, even before it’s over, you know it’s going to be remembered. And however Astros vs. Rangers ends now, we definitely know we’re going to remember this American League Championship Series, that Houston vs. Texas has already carved out its own corner of October history.

Now, as the two teams return to Minute Maid Park, the ALCS just needs one more thing:

It needs the kind of ending a series like this deserves, whether that ending comes on Sunday night with Game 6 or the series goes the distance.

The Astros have a stage like this all the time. The Rangers haven’t had it for a while, haven’t really demanded our attention this way since they had the 2011 World Series won against the Cardinals -- before David Freese hit one over Nelson Cruz’s head and sent Texas to a heartbreaking loss.

Now these two teams have turned this American League Championship Series into a thrill ride at Six Flags over Texas, as they go back across the state to settle the thing once and for all. Jose Altuve, one of the greatest postseason players who has ever lived, just added to his October legend with the three-run, come-from-behind home run that has his team ahead three games to two. But the Rangers firmly believe that after having won two games at Minute Maid already, they are more than capable of winning two more, starting when Nathan Eovaldi, as much of an ace as they have and someone who has shown up at this time of year before, gets the ball on Sunday night.

What the Rangers really try to be is the kind of special team that can knock off a behemoth like the Astros. The home team still hasn’t won a game in the ALCS. The Rangers go back to Houston dead set on keeping things that way.

It seemed that the home run Adolis García had hit to put Texas ahead was going to win Game 5 for the Rangers and put them within one win of the World Series. García sure acted that way, with a home run trot that probably should have had a clock on it. But his next time up, Bryan Abreu hit him with a fastball and García said something to Astros catcher Martín Maldonado, and before you knew it, the benches had cleared.

Abreu got ejected, García got ejected, Dusty Baker got ejected. And still the Astros and Rangers weren’t done on this night. Because after the smoke had cleared and the field had cleared, the Rangers still needed to get three more outs to take to a 3-2 lead in games against the Astros.

Two on for the Astros finally in the top of the ninth, Altuve at the plate, the Rangers' closer, José Leclerc, on the mound. What happened next wasn’t the kind of series-ending home run that Altuve hit four years ago in Game 6 of another ALCS, against the Yankees, taking Aroldis Chapman (now a Ranger) out of Minute Maid. But in the moment it felt like that kind of knockout punch, No. 27 of the Astros, a little giant, hitting postseason home run No. 26 and, just like that, the Astros were ahead, 5-4, in Game 5.

“It was an incredible baseball game,” Alex Bregman, such a consistently fine postseason player himself, said. “Two of the best teams in the world competing. Just super fortunate to come out on top.”

And, of course, because it has been this kind of series, there was still more drama to come in the bottom of the ninth, Astros closer Ryan Pressly putting two runners on before pitching himself, and his team, out of a jam just like that.

So that was the ending we got Friday night. That was the start of the weekend. Again: We have seen so much baseball, including the benches clearing, across the first five games. Leody Taveras of the Rangers went over the wall in Game 3 to take a home run away from Yordan Alvarez. Jordan Montgomery has out-pitched Justin Verlander twice. The Rangers came back in Game 5 when García took Verlander deep. Then the Astros came back because of Altuve, whose name really does belong high up in baseball’s grand October story, as far back as you care to go.

When García was asked about the slow walk he took toward first after lighting up Verlander, then spiking his bat before he got to the bag, this was his explanation:

“We're in the postseason, you know?" he said. "It's the moment.”

It is the Astros and the Rangers who are having a moment. Here comes Game 6, Eovaldi against Framber Valdez. Valdez was one of the stars of last October for the Astros, going 2-0 in the World Series with a 1.46 ERA. This year has been different, as he has struggled mightily this October.

Nobody will remember that if he pitches like a star, as these two teams try to give us an ending to be remembered after a series we will remember. First pitch a little after 7, Central Time, Sunday night, deep in the baseball heart of Texas.