Yordan Alvarez

Plus notes on two homegrown players that Houston designated for assignment over the weekend.

Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez continue to struggle for a team that has won four of its past five games.

Alvarez hit two home runs and drove in three in Houston's 8-0 win over Toronto.

Already one of the best hitters in the game, Alvarez still has areas in which he can step forward to fulfill an even greater role.

The blowout blew up Houston’s pursuit of a second consecutive World Series title while leaving a city to wonder where this all went awry.

Houston has scored fewer than five runs in five of its six playoff games at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros won 8-5, cutting the Rangers’ series edge to 2-1. Once again Houston flexed the might of defending champions.

If the Astros had not fallen to the Rangers, 5-4, Alvarez’s dual blasts in Game 2 of the ALCS might have become part of postseason lore.

Jose Altuve does deserve some blame for the Astros' loss, but seven innings' worth of wasted at-bats magnified his mental mistake.

No more Silver Boots to award. The Rangers and Astros now have a heated, chippy rivalry — and a best-of-seven to crown a pennant winner.

The opening loss was frustrating, but the Twins still have a chance to take control of the series — if they can hit a good lefty.

The 26-year-old slugger had his seventh multi-homer game in the playoffs and continues to demolish lefties brought in to face him.

Never in any of the past five 162-game seasons have Houston’s playoff prospects felt so tenuous.

The Astros' loss Tuesday puts the Rangers one game behind first place. Seattle is 1 1/2 games back and owns the tiebreaker over Houston.

Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez have not started a game together since June 8, the day Alvarez suffered an oblique injury.

Houston’s ace is an All-Star, as is its most indispensable player.

Houston said Alvarez exited in the third inning against Toronto with right oblique discomfort.

The Houston lineup has proven extremely top-heavy, and players like José Abreu, counted on for power, are delivering little thump.