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MLB : ATS Matchup
Thursday 10/8/2015Line$ LineOU LineScore
HOUSTON  MCHUGH )
 
KANSAS CITY  VENTURA )
+1.5  -175

-1.5  +155
+120

-130

7.5ev
 
5
Final
2

HOUSTON (87 - 76) at KANSAS CITY (95 - 67)
View Previous GameView Next Game
Thursday, 10/8/2015 8:05 PM
COLLIN MCHUGH (R) vs. YORDANO VENTURA (R)
AL Division Series - Best of 5 - Game 1
Board OpeningLatest
 LineTotalLineTotal
903HOUSTON+125Ov 7.5,+100+125Ov 7.5,+100
904KANSAS CITY-135Un 7.5,-120-135Un 7.5,-120
ADVANCED TEAM STATS
HOUSTON - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games87-76-2.473-814.50.2490.3110.4360.7473.80.2390.2940.3800.674
Road Games34-48-17.137-404.50.2460.3040.4130.7174.10.2460.3060.3890.695
vs Right-handed Starters57-44+7.750-464.80.2530.3140.4440.7583.80.2370.2920.3710.663
Past 7 Games5-2+2.23-46.70.2960.3600.5690.9293.70.2430.2910.3960.687
Grass Games87-70+471-784.60.2510.3130.4410.7543.70.2390.2930.3790.672
Night Games59-53-5.147-584.40.2470.3070.4330.7403.70.2420.2940.3820.676
Playoff games1-0+10-13.00.1670.2860.4000.6860.00.1000.1560.1000.256
HOUSTON - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games4.50.2490.31116354891368279262320.436695491140112310411218713187
Road Games4.50.2460.304822884710145121040.4133432397126856455496150
Righty Starters4.80.2530.3141013425867178131500.4444593068687964272517454
HOUSTON - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games3.191.099460.31801633704513646627-30401869%
Road Games3.701.232216.79889184208320612-1618966.7%

KANSAS CITY - Current Season Performance
 Team RecordsTeamOpponent
 W-LUnitsO-URunsAvgOBPSLGOPSRunsAvgOBPSLGOPS
All Games95-67+18.873-754.50.2690.3160.4120.7284.00.2500.3110.3960.707
Home Games51-30+11.436-384.60.2790.3280.4260.7543.90.2480.3020.3930.696
vs Right-handed Starters64-40+1948-474.60.2660.3150.4120.7283.80.2450.3100.3930.703
Past 7 Games5-2+2.62-53.90.2340.3030.3730.6762.10.2280.2930.2830.576
Grass Games92-63+19.770-714.50.2710.3180.4170.7353.90.2500.3100.3950.706
Night Games66-51+5.652-564.30.2650.3110.4000.7123.90.2500.3100.3940.704
KANSAS CITY - Team Hitting and Fielding Statistics
Team BattingTeam BattingTeam Fielding
 RunsAVGOBPGABH2B3BHRSLGRBIBBSOSBLOBGIDPERRDPOSB
All Games4.50.2690.31616255751497300421390.41269038397310110791538614175
Home Games4.60.2790.32881267374615725620.4263631964376353274347440
Righty Starters4.60.2660.315104355094618230920.4124552546296767393479246
KANSAS CITY - Bullpen Pitching Statistics
 ERAWHIPIPRERHHRBBSOW-LSVBSVPct.
All Games2.701.135539.31761624214819150230-14561677.8%
Home Games2.551.099275.78678226217724217-325680.6%
SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
HOUSTON - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
9/25/2015KAZMIR(L)TEXASGALLARDO(R)2-6L-1408 ovP111131392
9/26/2015MCHUGH(R)TEXASHOLLAND(L)9-7W-1508 evO10701271
9/27/2015KEUCHEL(L)TEXASPEREZ(L)4-2W-2258 unU850331
9/28/2015MCCULLERS(R)@ SEATTLEELIAS(L)3-2W-1357 ovU770420
9/29/2015FIERS(R)@ SEATTLENUNO(L)4-6L-1357.5 unO872961
9/30/2015KAZMIR(L)@ SEATTLEZYCH(R)7-6W-1508 unO14741281
10/2/2015KEUCHEL(L)@ ARIZONADE LA ROSA(R)21-5W-1658.5 unO19921194
10/3/2015MCHUGH(R)@ ARIZONAHELLICKSON(R)6-2W-1608.5 ovU11100761
10/4/2015MCCULLERS(R)@ ARIZONARAY(L)3-5L-1508.5 unU119111100
10/6/2015KEUCHEL(L)@ NY YANKEESTANAKA(R)3-0W-1057 evU550350
10/8/2015MCHUGH(R)@ KANSAS CITYVENTURA(R) 
10/9/2015FIERS(R)@ KANSAS CITYCUETO(R) 

KANSAS CITY - Schedule
 Team StatsOpp Stats
DateTeam StarterOpponentOpp StarterScoreW/LLineTot.O/UHLOBEHLOBE
9/24/2015CUETO(R)SEATTLEPAXTON(L)10-4W-1757.5 evO15100872
9/25/2015VOLQUEZ(R)CLEVELANDCARRASCO(R)0-6L+1457 evU120881
9/26/2015MEDLEN(R)CLEVELANDTOMLIN(R)5-9L-1258 unO7411240
9/27/2015YOUNG(R)CLEVELANDSALAZAR(R)3-0W+1108 ovU960230
9/28/2015VENTURA(R)@ CHICAGO CUBSHENDRICKS(R)0-1L-1158 unU450430
9/29/2015CUETO(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXSAMARDZIJA(R)2-4L-1457.5 ovU9701070
9/30/2015VOLQUEZ(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXQUINTANA(L)5-3W1107.5 unO76113112
10/1/2015MEDLEN(R)@ CHI WHITE SOXDANKS(L)6-4W-1357.5 ovO1391861
10/2/2015YOUNG(R)@ MINNESOTASANTANA(R)3-1W1057.5 unU7100653
10/3/2015VENTURA(R)@ MINNESOTAMILONE(L)5-1W-1207.5 unU980683
10/4/2015CUETO(R)@ MINNESOTANOLASCO(R)6-1W-1658 unU101117120
10/8/2015VENTURA(R)HOUSTONMCHUGH(R) 
10/9/2015CUETO(R)HOUSTONFIERS(R) 
KEY GAME INFORMATION
HOUSTON: HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros moved out of the major league basement last season.
Now the question is whether Jose Altuve and his teammates are ready to contend this year or if they still need a couple of seasons to complete their rebuild and get back to the postseason.
Owner Jim Crane is confident the time is now.
''This is our year,'' he said, adding that their goal is to make the playoffs.
The Astros made a 19-game improvement in 2014 to win 70 games and snap a streak of three straight 100-loss seasons. They beefed up a bullpen that struggled last year and added more pop to a lineup that was fourth in the majors with 163 homers in 2014 in an attempt to take another step in 2015.
''These guys are all professional baseball players and they all want to win,'' general manager Jeff Luhnow said. ''We're not going to set any limitations on them. It's up to them at this point. We've done our work for the offseason.''
The Astros blew 25 saves last season, a statistic that troubled Crane more than any other number associated with his team. His first order of business this offseason was to bring in players to get that number down this year.
To that end, Houston added relievers Luke Gregerson and Pat Neshek. Gregerson appeared in 72 games for the Athletics last season and posted a 2.12 ERA and Neshek saw action in 71 games for St. Louis in 2014 with a 1.87 ERA.
A lineup that already had power aplenty with Chris Carter, whose 37 homers tied for second in the majors last season, and George Springer, who hit 20 in just 78 games, now has more sluggers with the addition of Evan Gattis and Colby Rasmus. Gattis has hit 43 homers combined in his first two major league seasons and Rasmus has hit at least 22 home runs in two of the last three years.
That power is what excites first-year manager A.J. Hinch most about his team.
''We have a chance to be a dangerous lineup,'' Hinch said with a smile.
Some things to know about the 2015 Astros:
EXPECTATIONS FOR ALTUVE: Altuve became the first Astros player to win a batting title by hitting .341 last season. He set a team record with 225 hits, was third in the majors with 47 doubles, had 59 RBIs and tied for second in the league with 56 stolen bases.
So what does Luhnow expect the 24-year-old second baseman to do for an encore?
''He's going to be a .300 career hitter, which are few and far between,'' Luhnow said. ''So there's going to be years like with most of these great hitters where they hit .340 and years that they hit .305. In my mind Altuve is an elite major league hitter and we're going to see it year in and year out.''
SPRINGER'S SECOND YEAR: Springer, the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft, hit .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games as a rookie. He injured his left quadriceps on July 20 and he didn't play again. The Astros are eager to see what the right fielder can do in a full season.
''He's got a ton of potential,'' Hinch said. ''He's a dynamic player. He can do a lot of different things in a lot of different ways. Everybody sort of sits up in their seats when he comes up to bat. I think there's a chance for him to have impact in all (areas) of the game, which is hard to come by.''
CAN ROTATION BE CONSISTENT?: Dallas Keuchel (12-9, 2.93 ERA) and Collin McHugh (11-9, 2.73) had breakout seasons in 2014, but can they perform at that level in a second year to lead the rotation? Keuchel posted ERAs of over 5.00 in both of his first two seasons before being chosen this year's opening day starter with his work last year, and McHugh had ERAs of 7.59 and 10.04 in his first two years before his success in 2014.
ANOTHER NEW SKIPPER: Counting interim managers, Hinch is the seventh manager the Astros have had since 2009. He was hired just after last season following the firing of Bo Porter, who was let go near the end of his second season.
This is the second time the 40-year-old Hinch has led a team after he managed Arizona from May 2009 until July 2010, when he was fired after 31-48 start. He was the vice president of professional scouting for San Diego from 2010 until August.
KANSAS CITY: KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Every once in a while, Ned Yost will spin a story about his days on Bobby Cox's bench with the Atlanta Braves, back when the organization was winning NL pennants by the fistful.
Inevitably, Yost would start drawing comparisons to his Kansas City Royals - that they were building through the farm system in the same manner as the Braves, and Kansas City would embrace the franchise in the same way Atlanta did if it ever became a winner.
Last year, that narrative finally made sense.
After squeaking into the playoffs as a wild card, the Royals swept all the way to the World Series. If not for a virtuoso performance by Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants, the Royals might very well have been celebrating their second championship.
The postseason run led Yost to draw one more comparison when he arrived in Arizona for the start of a new season, and his players filed into the clubhouse for the first time.
''It definitely reminded me of that feeling in Atlanta,'' he said, ''when you came to spring training every year with the feeling that you have an opportunity to go to the World Series - instead of hoping, you know? And it's a different feeling.''
There is good reason for that feeling, too.
The Royals return most of the pieces from the club that ended a 29-year playoff drought, including one of the best bullpens in baseball history. And the pieces they did lose to free agency have been replaced with what could turn out to be upgrades.
Designated hitter Billy Butler is gone, Kendrys Morales signed in his place. Alex Rios is taking over for Nori Aoki in right field. Edinson Volquez was signed to fill the rotation spot of staff ace James Shields, who chased bigger money all the way to San Diego.
Even though a few faces have changed, the tenants that the Royals believe in have not: They will continue to rely on speed, defense and pitching to chase another playoff berth.
''Any time you're fortunate enough to keep those key pieces, you feel good,'' said Greg Holland, the Royals' All-Star closer. ''Yeah, we lost Billy and Shields and Nori, but for the most part, we're right where we need to be.''
Besides, the back end of the bullpen is still intact.
Kelvin Herrera harnessed his electrifying fastball to become a shutdown seventh-inning reliever last season. Former starter Wade Davis had a historically dominant year as the setup man. Holland further cemented his status as the AL's best closer.
''The way you tilt the field in your favor, in my opinion, is having quality pitching and really good defense,'' Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. ''Those are things that hopefully can show up every single day and perform for you.''
As the Royals approach opening day against the Chicago White Sox on April 6 at Kauffman Stadium, here are a few other story lines to watch this season:
THE ROTATION: Shields was the anchor in 2014, but he struggled mightily in the playoffs. So when the Royals signed Volquez to replace him, it was mostly met with a collective shrug.
Besides, the success of the rotation will more likely be determined by the success of young flamethrowers Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura, both of whom have ace ability.
INJURY BUGS: The Royals stayed remarkably healthy last season. Will karma even out?
Second baseman Omar Infante already missed long stretches of spring training with a bone spur in his elbow that could require surgery next offseason. Left fielder Alex Gordon also got a slow start to the spring after undergoing wrist surgery this past offseason.
SLOW STARTS: The last couple of seasons, the Royals have gotten off to slow starts. They unsuccessfully dug out of a big hole two years ago, but pulled it off last season.
Considering every other team in the AL Central appeared to get better over the winter, the Royals can ill afford to let Detroit, Cleveland and Minnesota and the White Sox bury them.
RESTING SALVY: All-Star catcher Salvador Perez faded in the playoffs in part due to his heavy work load in the regular season, where he appeared in 150 games. Yost intends to give him more days off this year, though it's hard to take his bat out of the lineup.
BASEBALL TOWN: Did the World Series run turn Kansas City into a baseball town again? The club has been overshadowed for decades by the Chiefs, who play just across the parking lot in Arrowhead stadium. How will fans respond to having the reigning AL champions?
PREVIEW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (HOUSTON-KANSAS CITY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(With AP Photos.)

*Astros-Royals Preview* =======================

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

Houston (86-76) at Kansas City (95-67), 7:37 p.m. EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- When the Houston Astros had recorded the final out in Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, they flooded onto the field in a wild celebration, all their years of losing finally a memory.

It looked a whole lot like the scene in Kansas City a year ago.

Now, the long-suffering Astros will try to accomplish what the once-beleaguered Royals did by building on their wild-card victory over the Yankees. They visit Kansas City to begin a best-of-five AL Division Series against the Royals on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.

"It kind of reminds us of us last year," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas said after a light workout Wednesday afternoon, "young and hungry and out there trying to prove to everybody that we deserve to be here."

The Royals certainly accomplished that 12 months ago.

After ending a 29-year postseason drought, the plucky bunch of youngsters swept all the way to the World Series, where they fell in seven games to the San Francisco Giants. But it was the Royals' dramatic, extra-inning victory over the Oakland Athletics in their AL wild-card game that instilled in them a belief that they could play with anybody in baseball.

Much like Tuesday night in the Bronx seemed to galvanize the young Astros.

They clowned around before the first pitch, then took care of New York when it was time to get serious, before resuming their playful antics with a rousing 30-minute postgame party.

"You know, we did it in a little more dramatic fashion than they did," Royals manager Ned Yost said of the wild-card win, "but they played a very solid game, took advantage of mistakes, excellent pitching and defense. Both teams play with a lot of passion and energy."

In other words, both teams have a whole lot of fun.

"I don't know if anybody else picked up on that, just as a fan watching what they were doing last year," said the Astros' Collin McHugh, who will start Game 1. "You can tell they have a fun clubhouse. I think that's probably the closest similarity I can see with our team."

There are others, though. Both endured long periods of ineptitude, underscored by 100-loss seasons. Both were painstakingly built through the draft. Both clubs put a premium on speed and defense. And both have formidable bullpens and stout rotations, with the Royals sending out hard-throwing Yordano Ventura to face McHugh in the series opener.

The similarities are hardly lost on Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who played for the Royals in the early 2000s, when the organization was in the depths of despair.

"I think both teams sense the opportunity might be there to make a run in October," Hinch said. "Certainly, they've been a year or two ahead of us in this, I guess, move to the middle of relevant baseball with their run last year. But both really good clubs."

Really young clubs, too. The average age of Houston for its wild-card game was 28 years, 343 days. The Royals were an average of 29 years, 51 days on Game 1 of last year's World Series.

"They're a young, energetic team, as we are too," said Royals outfielder Alex Rios, who is in the postseason for the first time after 1,691 games. "But they're also a team that has a lot of talent, so we have to go out there and play the same game we've been playing all season."

The Astros and Royals are not mirror images of each other. Houston pounds home runs at the expense of strikeouts, while the Royals play to contact and grind out runs. The Astros greedily accepts walks while Kansas City swings away, regardless of the count.

Then there is the difference in their ballparks.

Kauffman Stadium is cavernous, the kind of place where home runs anywhere else turn into routine fly balls. Minute Maid Park is a bandbox where pop flies often carry the wall.

Oh, and there's one more difference: The Royals played in the World Series a year ago. It may not be much of an edge in postseason experience, but it's at least something.

"We had a good run last year, but that was last year," Moustakas said. "This is a new season now, the best team is going to win. We have to find a way to beat that club."


Last Updated: 3/28/2024 7:14:46 PM EST.


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