Game Thread: ALCS Game 2, NLCS Game 1

The ALCS got going yesterday, and now the NLCS joins in tonight.

On Friday, the Houston Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox by a 5-4 score in Game 1 of the American League matchup. Both teams’ bullpens worked overtime after early exits by their starters, and each lineup blasted a couple homers — two by Enrique Hernandez for Boston, and one each from Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa for Houston. The Sox built an early lead, but the Astros powered past them in the late innings.

• Recap from Crawfish Boxes
• Recap from Over The Monster

The series continues Saturday night at Minute Maid Park. For Boston tonight, Nathan Eovaldi makes his third start of the postseason, after a pair of solid five-inning efforts against the Yankees (Wild Card Game) and Rays (ALDS). For Houston, Luis Garcia got knocked around by the White Sox in the ALDS, allowing five runs before the end of the 3rd inning.

Red Sox lineup (away)

1. 1B Kyle Schwarber (L)
2. CF Enrique Hernandez (R)
3. 3B Rafael Devers (L)
4. SS Xander Bogaerts (R)
5. LF Alex Verdugo (L)
6. DH J.D. Martinez (R)
7. RF Hunter Renfroe (R)
8. C Kevin Plawecki (R)
9. 2B Christian Arroyo (R)

• RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Astros lineup (home)

1. 2B Jose Altuve (R)
2. LF Michael Brantley (L)
3. 3B Alex Bregman (R)
4. DH Yordan Alvarez (L)
5. SS Carlos Correa (R)
6. RF Kyle Tucker (L)
7. 1B Yuli Gurriel (R)
8. CF Chas McCormick (R)
9. C Martin Maldonado (R)

• RHP Luis Garcia

How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, October 16
• Time: 1:20 p.m. PT
• TV: Fox

Dodgers vs. Braves

Over in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves face off for the pennant, beginning with Game 1 tonight. This is a rematch of last year’s NLCS, which the Dodgers won in seven games.

Los Angeles had planned to start Max Scherzer in this game, but they unexpectedly used him to close out Game 5 of the NLDS against the Giants on Thursday, so now they’re holding him back for some extra rest. Instead it’ll be a bullpen game, with reliever Corey Knebel opening again, like he did in Thursday’s victory for one scoreless inning.

Atlanta calls on Max Fried, who dominated for six scoreless innings in NLDS Game 2 against the Brewers last weekend. The Braves lineup is still missing outfielder Jorge Soler, after a positive test for COVID-19.

Dodgers lineup (away)

1. RF Mookie Betts (R)
2. 2B Trea Turner (R)
3. SS Corey Seager (L)
4. 3B Justin Turner (R)
5. C Will Smith (R)
6. 1B Albert Pujols (R)
7. LF AJ Pollock (R)
8. CF Chris Taylor (R)
9. RHP Corey Knebel (R) / bullpen game

Braves lineup (home)

1. LF Eddie Rosario (L)
2. 1B Freddie Freeman (L)
3. 2B Ozzie Albies (S)
4. 3B Austin Riley (R)
5. RF Joc Pederson (L)
6. CF Adam Duvall (R)
7. C Travis d’Arnaud (R)
8. SS Dansby Swanson (R)
9. LHP Max Fried (L)

How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, October 16
• Time: 5:08 p.m. PT
• TV: TBS