Astros' Lance McCullers: Unimpressive in series opener

McCullers lasted just four innings in Game 1 of the ALDS against Oakland on Monday, giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits and a walk while striking out five.

McCullers was done in by the long ball; he gave a two-run shot to Khris Davis in the second followed by solo homers to Sean Murphy and Matt Olson over the next two innings. He was pulled from the game after allowing the leadoff runner in the bottom of the fifth to reach base, who would eventually come around to score to add a fifth run to McCullers' tally. While the Astros' offense would eventually bail him out, it certainly wasn't the outing McCullers hoped to have in his first postseason start since 2017.