Neither starter in Game 1 of the ALCS managed to make it out of the third inning.
Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez was pulled after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits while issuing a pair of walks. Reliever Yimi Garcia came in with two out in the top half of the third.
Valdez very nearly escaped the inning surrendering just a solo home run to Enrique Hernandez, but second baseman Jose Altuve committed a fielding error on what could have been an inning-ending double play.
Meanwhile, Boston Red Sox lefty Chris Sale was replaced by Adam Ottavino with two out in the bottom half of the inning.
Sale allowed one run on five hits and one walk while throwing 61 pitches. He was responsible for two baserunners at the time of his removal, but neither managed to score.
The southpaw was previously yanked from his start in the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays after allowing five earned runs, including a grand slam, in just one inning of work. That temporarily resulted in Sale being moved to the bullpen.
Interestingly, both starters struck out the last batter they faced before their respective managers made the call to the bullpen.
