HOUSTON -- There was stunned disbelief in the Astros clubhouse following their win over the Rangers in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday. The buzz was all about Jose Altuve, whose three-run homer in the ninth inning gave the Astros a 5-4 win, but few had the words to describe what they had just witnessed.

Everyone agreed, though: Altuve is the best clutch hitter they had seen. Altuve’s third career home run in the ninth inning or later in a playoff game -- the most in history -- moved the Astros to within one win of their third consecutive World Series berth and only cemented Altuve’s status as one of the most clutch players in postseason history.

“No. 1, he wants to be up there,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “No. 2, he's got a high concentration level, because that's what it takes in big moments like that, is concentration, desire and relaxation all encompassed into one. And everybody can't do all three of those things. This dude is one of the baddest dudes I've ever seen, and I've seen some greats.”

• Did that just happen?! Relive Friday's 7 wildest postseason moments

In Altuve's 100th career playoff game in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday, he went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk and three runs scored. It was his 10th career postseason game with at least three hits, tied with Carlos Correa for third in AL/NL history behind Derek Jeter (12) and Bernie Williams (12). Altuve's game-winning homer in Game 5 on Friday was his 26th career postseason homer -- three behind Manny Ramirez for the AL/NL lead.

• Game 6 the next act in an already Classic ALCS

“I feel like that’s just him,” teammate Alex Bregman said. “He has a slow heartbeat. He’s calm under pressure. He’s confident in his ability. He is always just focused and such a beast. Just such a great guy. So humble. I can’t say enough good things about him. [Thursday] in the press conference room, I was talking about him, and it’s literally an honor to take the field with him every single day and see how he goes about his business. I hope my 14-month-old son [Knox] grows up to be the man that he is.”

Among postseason performers, Altuve ranks second all-time in runs scored (86); fourth in hits (113), extra-base hits (46) and total bases (211); fifth in doubles (20) and tied for seventh in RBIs (54). He’s played in more playoff games than 18 franchises have in their history.

“He wants to be in the moment,” teammate Martín Maldonado said. “He’s going to be a Hall of Famer."

In honor of the Astros’ seven consecutive ALCS appearances, here are Altuve’s biggest playoff homers:

1. Walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 2019 ALCS
One of the most memorable moments in Astros history, Altuve sent Houston to its second World Series in three seasons with a walk-off home run against Aroldis Chapman and the Yankees. It was the sixth walk-off homer to clinch a pennant in Major League history.

2. Three-run homer in the ninth inning in Game 5 of the 2023 ALCS
Trailing by two runs entering the ninth, Yainer Diaz singled and Jon Singleton walked to set the stage for Altuve, who hit an 0-1 changeup from José Leclerc over the left-field wall for a dramatic three-run home run to win the game and give the Astros a 3-2 advantage in the series.

3. Game-tying three-run homer in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series
After Cody Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the fifth to give the Dodgers a 7-4 lead, Altuve socked a three-run homer off Kenta Maeda to tie the game at 7. The Astros won, 13-12, in 10 innings.

4. Three-homer game against Boston in Game 1 of the 2017 ALCS
Altuve became just the ninth player in AL/NL playoff history to slug three homers in a game when he did it against the Red Sox. Altuve connected twice off Boston ace Chris Sale and once against reliever Austin Maddox at Minute Maid Park. All three were solo shots.

5. Home run in 10th inning of Game 2 of the 2017 World Series
The first go-ahead ahead home run of Altuve’s career in the ninth inning or later, he and Correa went back-to-back to break a tie against the Dodgers in a game the Astros eventually won, 7-6, in extra innings.

6. First-pitch homer in Game 1 of the 2023 ALDS
Altuve, who didn’t have an RBI in any of Houston’s 13 postseason games last season, crushed the first pitch he saw from Twins starter Bailey Ober and homered to left. His eight first-inning playoff homers are the most of any player in history.

7. Game-tying homer in Game 4 of 2021 ALCS
Trailing, 2-1, in the eighth inning in a series the Astros trailed, 2-1, Altuve led off with a homer off Garrett Whitlock at Fenway Park to tie the game. The Astros scored seven runs in the ninth for the first of three consecutive wins to clinch the pennant.