Astros, Blue Jays Win, Cubs vs. Cards Today

Dallas Keuchel's perfect performance in Houston this year has the upstart Astros one win away from the American League Championship Series.

Keuchel remained undefeated at Minute Maid Park with seven gutsy innings, and Chris Carter homered Sunday, leading the Astros to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals to take a 2-1 lead in their Division Series.

The Astros could wrap up the best-of-five series with a win over the defending AL champions in Game 4 Monday.

Houston's remarkable run comes just two years after the team lost a franchise-worst 111 games in a third straight 100-loss season.

Keuchel, who shut down the Yankees in the AL wild-card game, worked out of jam after jam, allowing five hits and one run with seven strikeouts after going 15-0 at home this season, a modern major-league-record. He has a 1.45 ERA at Minute Maid Park in 19 starts this year.

"The ball in Dallas Keuchel's hand brings an awful lot of confidence to a lot of people. Including me," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "And he came up with some excellent pitches."

Luke Gregerson gave up a leadoff homer in the ninth to Alex Gordon before finishing off the Astros' first playoff game in Houston in 10 years with a four-out save. It was his first save of more than three outs in three years.

Blue Jays 5, Rangers 1

Troy Tulowitzki settled down at the podium after helping the Toronto Blue Jays extend the AL Division Series, his left shoulder and arm constantly pulsating from the medical device attached to him.

Tulowitzki, still far from 100 percent from a collision that forced him to miss 19 games after being acquired by the Blue Jays, had certainly flexed his muscles on the field Sunday night in Game 3, a 5-1 win over the Texas Rangers.

"Good enough to go, good enough to play. Tons of treatment, to be honest with you. I could do it all day," Tulowitzki said. "But just go out there and play and see what happens."

Tulowitzki drove in four runs, including three with a homer for his first hit in these playoffs, and the Blue Jays cut their deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

The victory was Toronto's first in the postseason since Joe Carter's home run won the 1993 World Series. Marco Estrada limited the Rangers to one run and five hits over 6⅓ innings, with four strikeouts and no walks.

Tulowitzki's drive to left with two outs in the sixth inning put the Blue Jays up 5-0.

"It was definitely huge and in the moment I was definitely pumped up. Got back to the dugout and everybody's obviously excited to put us up by five," Tulowitzki said. "A little breathing room, I think that's the goal down 2-0."

That was two innings after he drew a bases-loaded walk. He missed most of the final three weeks of the regular season because of a cracked shoulder blade and bruised muscles in his upper back.

Monday, October 12 Schedule (All Times Central)

Kansas City at Houston, 12:07 p.m.
ALDS - GAME 4

Toronto at Texas, 3:07 p.m.
ALDS - GAME 4

St. Louis at Chicago, 5:07 p.m.
NLDS - GAME 3

Los Angeles at New York, 7:37 p.m.
NLDS - GAME 3

Tuesday, October 13 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Chicago, 3:37 p.m.
NLDS - GAME 4

Los Angeles at New York, 7:07 p.m.
NLDS - GAME 4