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Rangers stun injury-depleted Blue Jays in Game 1

Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Texas Rangers overcame an early injury to third baseman Adrian Beltre to spoil Toronto's first playoff game in two decades with a stunning 5-3 upset in Game 1 of their American League Division Series.

Rougned Odor homered and scored three times to help pace the Rangers' attack against left-handed ace David Price, who allowed five runs over seven innings in his postseason debut for the Blue Jays.

Playing in his first career playoff game, Odor's most crushing blow came in the fourth inning when he knocked Josh Donaldson out of the game after his knee made contact with the third baseman's head. The Blue Jays also lost slugger Jose Bautista in the ninth inning due to hamstring tightness. Both players are expected to play in Game 2 on Friday.

Beltre, meanwhile, was forced from the game during the third inning after injuring his back while sliding into second base. The All-Star third baseman received a cortisone shot, and his status is uncertain.

Top Performer: None other than Odor, the Rangers' second baseman who at one point homered, was hit twice, and scored three times on just four pitches. Though Robinson Chirinos' two-run shot in the fifth proved to be the difference, Odor's seventh-inning rocket helped pad the Rangers' lead against the heavily favored Blue Jays.

Starting Pitchers: Yovani Gallardo continued to roll against the Blue Jays after limiting them to a .284 OPS across 13 2/3 scoreless innings this season. The veteran right-hander weaved and bobbed his way around the league's highest scoring offense for five solid frames, outpitching Cy Young contender Price in the pivotal series opener. Price walked a pair and allowed two homers to become the first pitcher in major-league history to lose his first six postseason starts.

PITCHER IP H R ER BB SO
Gallardo 5.0 4 2 3 1 1
Price 7.0 5 5 5 2 5

Turning Point: Despite the Rangers' success against Price, the turning point Thursday proved to be Donaldson's exit in the fourth. The MVP candidate passed all concussion tests after the deflating loss, but his absence in the middle of Toronto's order was noticeable. Texas relievers held the Blue Jays to just one extra-base hit - Jose Bautista's sixth-inning homer - over the final four innings.

Up Next: The Blue Jays will look to even the series at one when they send right-hander Marcus Stroman to the mound in Game 2 against Rangers lefty Cole Hamels. Critical to the Rangers' hopes of returning to Texas with a 2-0 lead will be the status of Beltre, who had an RBI single before leaving the Thursday's game in tears. The Rangers have summoned rookie slugger Joey Gallo to Toronto in case Beltre is removed from the roster.

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