While the climactic event from Game 5 of the American League Championship Series served the Houston Astros well, it did not enable them to complete their foremost task. Houston secured a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series after Jose Altuve clubbed a dramatic three-run, ninth-inning homer that yielded a 5-4 victory over the Rangers on Friday and a sweep of all three games at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. By virtue of the seismic blast, the Astros moved one step closer to securing their third consecutive AL pennant, needing a victory in Game 6 on Sunday in Houston to avoid a winner-take-all affair in Game 7 the following evening. The issue for Houston is its relative ineptitude at Minute Maid Park, where the Astros finished with a sub-.500 record (39-42, compared to 51-30 on the road) during the regular season prior to losing three of four home games this postseason. For all the success the Astros enjoyed in Games 3-5, plenty of hard work remains. The Astros will need left-hander Framber Valdez (0-2, 11.57 ERA this postseason) to be markedly improved compared to his first two starts this postseason. Valdez struggled against the Rangers during the regular season, going 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA over three starts before allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and one walk while recording only eight outs in a 5-4 loss in Game 2. The Rangers will counter with right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (3-0, 2.29), who limited the Astros to three runs on five hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over six innings in Game 2. Eovaldi has cultivated a reputation for postseason excellence, going 7-3 with a 2.87 ERA over 14 career postseason appearances, including nine starts. We think both pitchers show up here tonight and this game is unlike the last game and goes under.