Colby Rasmus has two homers through two post-season games (photo/MLB)
Royals DH Kendrys Morales seemed to be the only hitter who could figure out Houston starter Collin McHugh. Morales homered twice off their 19-game winner, but the Royals could only muster up four more hits as they dropped the ALDS opener 3-1.
Houston hit two homers of their own, including the second of the playoffs from former Cardinal Colby Rasmus.
McHugh also sat through a 58-minute rain delay after two innings, and he finished the night after a six inning performance.
Yost’s postgame comments (MLB.com)
I thought Kansas City had the edge at home given how difficult it is to hit home runs in that ballpark. That was not the case. In addition to the two from Kendrys, former Rasmus went deep in the eighth to make it 5-2, but George Springer’s shot off reliever Chris Young to make it a 4-2 game was the back-breaker.
Springer’s homer took the life out of the crowd and the club. Morales had just made it a 3-2 ballgame with his shot to deep right center. Young, who came in for Yordana Ventura after the rain delay, struck out six in a row, before giving up the homer.
The Astros jumped on Ventura by loading the bases in the first inning. Ventura got the next three batters, but Rasmus and Evan Gattis had RBI groundouts to give Houston a 2-0 lead and then leadoff hitter Jose Altuve tacked on another run in the second with a single to right.
