WATCH: Astros clinch seventh CONSECUTIVE ALCS berth following 3-2 victory over Twins

The Houston Astros crushed the hopes of the Minnesota Twins with a 3-2 victory and have now reached the ALCS for a seventh successive year.

WATCH: Astros clinch seventh CONSECUTIVE ALCS berth following 3-2 victory over Twins

Houston Astros (Pic Credit: MLB)

At this point, it seems a mere formality for them. The Houston Astros are now heading for their seventh consecutive American League Championship Series (ALCS), an American league record. They would edge out the AL Central champions Minnesota Twins 3-2 in a close game and advance to the next round as 3-1 winners of the division series.

This means that they will lock horns with their divisional and state rival, the Texas Rangers in the ALCS who are flying high with momentum. After missing out on the automatic spot, the Rangers had to come through two playoff games. They would see off the Tampa Bay Rays before sweeping the surprise package of this season, the Baltimore Orioles in their division series matchup.

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The Twins needed a positive result here as they stood on the verge of elimination. They even started off strong as Royce Lewis got them off to a quick start after a stunning double play from Jeremy Pena put them on the back foot. Lewis would launch a solo home run to give the Twins an early lead.

The lead however did not last long as the visitors pulled level with a solo home run of their own from Michael Brantley. Jose Abreu continued his glorious form as he hit a two-run shot to extend the lead. The Twins did pull one run back to make it 3-2 in the sixth with another solo home run, but this was it for them. They were unable to stop the Astros train and bowed off the tournament.

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Astros vs Rangers: A mega Texan showdown in ALCS

There have been some great matchups in the past between rivals which have amazed the fans. The 2003 and 2004 Yankees-Red Sox matchup comes to the mind of many when thinking of rivalry matchups in the knockout phases. This year the ALCS is set to witness the “Lone Star” series as the Houston Astros prepare to face off against the Texas Rangers.

Adolis Garcia
A snap of Astros-Rangers bench-clearing incident this year (Pic Credit: AP)

Over the past few years, the Astros have become a significant force in MLB. The reigning World Series champions have somewhat been ahead of their rivals. This year the Rangers have given them a good fight and almost knocked them off the top of the standings on the final day. They will surely fancy their chances in this meeting as they are still unbeaten in the postseason.

The Astros last lost the ALCS in 2020. In a series against the Rays, they were three down and almost produced a Red Sox 2004-esque comeback. A loss in the final game saw them bow out of the competition. They will enter this matchup as a firm favorite and hope to secure a third straight pennant and look to successfully defend their title.

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