MLB Postseason: Astros beat Royals in Game 1 of ALDS

Entering Thursday night, a home team had yet to win a postseason game this year. The Yankees and Pirates lost their respective Wild Card games, while the Blue Jays dropped their series opener in Toronto to the Rangers earlier Thursday.

Kendrys Morales tried to single-handedly change that for the Kansas City Royals Thursday night, but his efforts would come up short. The Comeback Player of the Year candidate clubbed two home runs to keep his club within striking distance through the fourth inning, but his teammates couldn’t finish the job.

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Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Salvador Perez and Alex Rios all went hitless for the American League Central champs Thursday night, while the Houston bullpen was just a little more sharp than that of Kansas City. Yordano Ventura went just two innings for the Royals, as a rain delay cut his outing short. Chris Young would come in to give up just one run over four innings, though with the Royals already trailing, the runs yield by Young and Ryan Madson would only extend a lead that ultimately proved insurmountable from the time it was 3-2 in Houston’s favor.

Unlike his Royals counterpart, Astros starter Colin McHugh would go back out for four more innings after play resumed, giving up just one run in that stretch. McHugh yielded two total runs in the contest (both on Morales home runs), and would allow just five baserunners in his six innings of work on four hits and a walk.

Colby Rasmus picked up where he left off on Tuesday night, picking up an RBI groundout in the first inning a solo home run in the eighth that seemed to be the kill shot for a largely-lifeless Royals team. Every batter in Houston’s lineup in the one-through-five spots picked up at least one hit, with Jose Altuve and George Springer combining for five hits, a walk and two RBIs out of the one- and two-spots.

The Astros enter Friday with an opportunity to go up 2-0 in the series before returning home for Games 3 and 4, while the Royals face having their backs against the wall before even playing a single road game. Johnny Cueto takes the mound for Kansas City opposite Scott Kazmir for Houston, and while Cueto enters the game having struggled of late, Ned Yost has confidence in his Game 2 starter.

“That’s why we got him,” Yost told reporters Thursday night.

Kazmir, meanwhile, has reportedly been working on his curveball since his last start in hopes of not hanging any pitches on Friday. After likewise struggling of late, Kazmir could get things going against the lefty bats of Kansas City that failed to do much of anything on Thursday.

Next: Rangers Beat Blue Jays in Game 1 of ALDS

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