Keuchel, Carter carry Astros to 2-1 AL Division Series lead - MLB

Dallas Keuchel tossed seven innings of one-run ball and Chris Carter provided three hits, powering the Astros to a 4-2 victory over the Royals in Game 3 of the ALDS on Sunday evening. The Astros now hold a 2-1 series lead.

The Astros fell behind 1-0 when Keuchel served up a solo home run to Lorenzo Cain in the fourth inning. Carter, however, kickstarted a one-out rally in the fifth against Royals starter Edinson Volquez when he hit a one-out double to left field after Luis Valbuena had drawn a walk. Jason Castro brought both of them home with a ground ball single up the middle, putting the Astros up 2-1.

A two-out RBI single by Carlos Gomez in the sixth pushed the score to 3-1, and Carter provided additional insurance when he slugged a towering solo home run to left field off of Danny Duffy in the seventh. Carter finished 3-for-3, marking the only time this season he’s had three hits in a game.

The Royals had a few opportunities to score, but Keuchel managed to pitch out of trouble repeatedly. He finished having allowed the one run on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts. Volquez was on the hook for three runs on five hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Reliever Tony Sipp walked a batter before leaving with two outs in the eighth inning. Closer Luke Gregerson was able to notch the final out of the eighth with a ground ball. In the ninth, Alex Gordon led off with a solo home run to left-center, but Gregerson was able to see his way out of the ninth inning without any further damage for the save.

The Astros will attempt to clinch the ALDS at home on Monday at 1:00 PM EDT. Yordano Ventura will start for the Royals against Astros rookie right-hander Lance McCullers.

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CHICAGO (AP) Shohei Ohtani homered in consecutive innings, including a 459-foot drive that was the longest of his Major League Baseball career, and drove in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Chicago White Sox 12-5 Wednesday.

Mike Trout put the Angels ahead 2-0 with a 476-foot home run in the first that was four rows shy of clearing the left field bleachers. Taylor Ward also went deep as the Angels hit four two-run homers plus a solo shot.

“Those are the guys you lean on,” manager Phil Nevin said. “They can certainly put the team on their backs and carry us and that’s what they did today.”

Ohtani drove a first-pitch fastball from Lance Lynn (4-6) just to left of straightaway center in the third, where the ball was dropped by a fan who tried to glove it. That 425-foot drive put the Angels ahead 4-1.

Lynn didn’t even bother to turn and look when Ohtani hit a full count fastball more than a dozen rows over the bullpen in right-center in the fourth. The two-way Japanese star is batting .269 with 15 homers and 38 RBIs to go along with a 5-1 record and 2.91 ERA.

“I’m feeling good right now,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I’m putting good swings on pitches I should be hitting hard.”

Ohtani increased his career total to 13 multihomer games with his first this season.

Trout pulled a hanging curve for his 13th home run. Ward hit a two-run homer against Jesse Scholtens in the seventh and Chad Wallach, pinch hitting for Ohtani, had a solo homer in the ninth off Garrett Crochet.

“Usually when that happens, we’re in a good spot to win,” Trout said.

Trout and Ohtani have homered in the same game for the fifth time this season. The Angels hit a pair of 450-foot or more home runs in the same game for the first time since Statcast started tracking in 2015.

Lynn allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks while hitting two batters in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.55. He has given up 15 home runs, one short of the major league high of Kansas City’s Jordan Lyles. Lynn had won his previous three starts.

“It seemed like he didn’t get away with any today,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “Just one of those days, man.”

Jaime Barria (2-2) gave up one run and four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

Los Angeles won two of three from the White Sox after being swept by Miami last weekend.

Jake Burger homered for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Burger hit his 11th homer in the ninth and Hanser Alberto had a two run double off Tucker Davidson.

Chicago’s Romy Gonzalez, who’d homered in three straight games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

THE NATURALS

Twenty-three people became naturalized U.S. citizens during a pregame swearing-in behind home plate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Trout fouled a pitch off his right leg in the fourth but remained in the game.

White Sox: INF Elvis Andrus (strained left oblique) and RHP Mike Clevinger (right wrist inflammation) are close to returning but Grifol wouldn’t elaborate on either player’s status.

UP NEXT

Angels: Reid Detmers (0-4, 4.93) starts Thursday’s series opener at Houston against fellow LHP Framber Valdez (5-4, 2.38).

White Sox: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s series opener against visiting Detroit, which starts RHP Reese Olson in his major league debut. Olson is 2-3 with a 6.38 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Toledo.

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