Astros rally behind baseball ace Keuchel to push Royals to brink

Houston pitcher Dallas Keuchel held Kansas City to one run in seven innings Sunday to lead the Astros to a 4-2 win that pushed the Royals to the brink of elimination from the Major League Baseball playoffs.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter had three hits, including his first post-season home run, as Houston took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series.

With a win at home on Monday, the Astros can advance to the American League Championship Series, and end the Royals' bid to return to the World Series a season after they fell in the title showcase to the San Francisco Giants.

The winner of the series will face either the Toronto Blue Jays or Texas Rangers for a place in the World Series.

The Rangers were trying to finish off a three-game sweep at home on Sunday after beating the Blue Jays twice in Toronto.

Keuchel, 27, showed the same dominance he displayed at home throughout the regular season, throwing a season-high 124 pitches and stranding runners at first and third base in each of his final two innings.

In the seventh, Keuchel stayed in the game to face Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who had smacked a towering homer to lead off the fourth inning and represented the tying run in a two-run game.

Keuchel struck him out and left the game having allowed one run on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.

Carter belted a one-out double in the fifth inning, singled and hit a first-pitch leadoff home run the seventh off Royals left-hander Danny Duffy.

Royals starting pitcher Edinson Volquez used a baffling breaking ball to keep the Astros in check through four innings.

He took a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning but surrendered a two-run single to Astros catcher Jason Castro that gave the lead to Houston for good.

The Astros added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh.

Royals left fielder Alex Gordon hit a leadoff homer in the ninth against Astros closer Luke Gregerson, who shook it off to strike out Cain with a runner on first to end the threat.
Source: AFP