Cueto pitches Royals past Astros in ALDS clincher
Johnny Cueto saved his best start for the most important game of the season.
Cueto retired the final 19 batters he faced, Alex Rios delivered a key two-run double in the fifth, and the Kansas City Royals booked a date in the American League Championship Series with a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
The Royals' come-from-behind victory - capped by Kendrys Morales' dramatic three-run shot in the eighth - set up a compelling showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays in a matchup featuring the top two records in the AL.
Top Performer: Cueto's most dominant effort as a member of the Royals started slow and got stronger with every inning. The right-hander with the herky-jerky delivery retired every batter he faced after allowing a two-run homer to Luis Valbuena, and completed his impressive 91-pitch outing with a pair of groundouts in his eighth and final inning.
Starting Pitchers: Astros right-hander Collin McHugh was no match for Cueto, who fired 62 of his pitches for strikes. McHugh lasted just four innings in the deciding game, falling victim to a three-run third and needing 72 pitches to labor through his outing. Cy Young favorite Dallas Keuchel entered Game 5 on just two days' rest and was tasked with protecting a two-run deficit in the eighth. The left-hander served up a back-breaking blast to Morales to put the Astros' season on ice.
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cueto | 8.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| McHugh | 4.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Turning Point: The Royals chipped their way back into the pivotal ALDS clincher in decidedly less dramatic fashion than their improbable Game 4 comeback. After Lorenzo Cain's heads up play in the fourth got the Royals on the board, Rios gave the defending AL champions the lead with a two-run double to left during their three-run third.
(Videos courtesy: MLB.com)
Up Next: The Royals and Blue Jays renew their rivalry Friday in Game 1 of the ALCS at Kauffman Stadium. The two clubs battled it out during a four-game series in August that proved to be a foreshadowing of the pivotal showdown. Toronto won that series 3-1, though two of the games were decided by one run, including an 11-inning thriller.