The Houston Astros won Game 1 of the ALDS on the road against the Kansas City Royals, 5-2. They outhit the Royals 11-6 and now have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series.
Collin McHugh was strong on the hill while George Springer and Colby Rasmus hit home runs. Jose Altuve added three hits.
Here are seven things to know.
1. All four road teams have won in the playoffs so far
We’ve seen the Astros win at Yankee Stadium, the Cubs win at PNC Park, the Rangers win at Toronto’s Rogers Centre and now the Astros win at Kauffman Stadium. The last time the first four playoff games went in favor of road teams in MLB was 1970.
Home-field advantage in baseball isn’t exactly like in football or basketball, but this is still a fun little factoid so far in the playoffs.
2. The Astros got an early lead by acting like the Royals
The Astros offense hits home runs, strikes out often and makes no apologies about it. Yes, they steal bases, but they aren’t exactly a station-to-station, small-ball team. The Royals, on the flip side, don’t hit many home runs but make good contact and can play small ball by advancing the runners and manufacturing runs.
In the top of the first inning, the roles temporarily reversed. The Astros loaded the bases with no outs. Against the high-velocity Yordano Ventura, they scored one run each on back-to-back groundouts. A 2-0 first-inning lead without a home run or even an RBI single was pretty surprising from this group.
Yes, our baseball is quite funny.
3. Yordano Ventura can come back on short rest now
There was a 49-minute rain delay after two innings, in which Ventura labored, so Royals manager Ned Yost made the decision to pull his starter. Yost noted in a dugout interview that the length of the delay got up into a zone where they were uncomfortable sending a live, young arm like Ventura’s back out onto the mound. He also mentioned this makes it easier to bring Ventura back for Game 4.
Of course, the Royals need to get there first. More on that later.
4. Kendrys Morales joined good company while Carlos Correa made history
Royals DH Morales hit two home runs, making him the third Royals player ever to hit at least two homers in a game and the first since George Brett in 1985. Astros rookie shortstop Correa singled in the first inning, meaning he became the youngest Astros player ever to record a postseason hit (21 years, 16 days old).
5. Collin McHugh dominated the Royals, aside from Morales
Morales got McHugh for two home runs, but the rest of the Royals offense mustered two singles and a walk against the Astros’ starting pitcher in six innings. Yes, he struck out only one, but the Royals are a contact-hitting team. McHugh’s job was to make sure the balls in play weren’t scorched; he induced weak or routine contact, for the most part.
Collin McHugh was impressive for Houston in Game 1. (USATSI)
6. Colby Rasmus is on a power surge
The Astros’ cleanup hitter had a career-high 25 home runs in the regular season, which included three home runs in the final three games. He then got the scoring started Tuesday in the AL Wild Card Game with a solo shot and added another solo shot in Game 1. That’s five home runs in his past five games, making it his best such stretch of the season.
One of the things that helps propel teams deeper into the postseason is having some guys get hot at the right time. Rasmus is one to watch on this front, as he’s always had this kind of power and only dealt with consistency issues.
7. The Royals need Johnny Cueto to step up
All-Star starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was the runner-up for the NL Cy Young in 2014. He was acquired by the Royals in July so they could have a veteran ace atop their rotation as they looked to get over the hump and win that ring.
Cueto went 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA after the trade.
He did look better in his last four starts, posting a 3.24 ERA, but there were still too many baserunners (29 hits and nine walks in 25 innings) and he struck out only 15. It wasn’t ace-like, even as he was improving.
Well, now it’s time for him to be that ace, because a Royals loss in Game 2 would be a disaster. Astros ace and possible AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel awaits the Royals in Game 3, which will be played in Houston’s Minute Maid Park, where the Astros were 53-28 this season.
The hunch is the Royals don’t want to head to Houston down 0-2, so they better get Game 2. Time to step up, Mr. Cueto.
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