The American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays will continue on Monday afternoon from San Diego's PETCO Park. The Rays won Game 1 on Sunday night behind some timely hitting and a stifling staff-wide pitching effort. The Astros will try to even the best-of-seven affair.
Let's check out the pertinent details for Game 2.
How to watch
Date: Monday, Oct. 12 | Time: 4:07 p.m. ET
Location: PETCO Park (San Diego)
TV: TBS | Stream: TBS app
Odds: HOU +105; TB -115; O/U: 8.5
Pitchers: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. vs. RHP Charlie Morton
Follow: CBS Sports App
Preview
The Astros will start Lance McCullers Jr. for the second time this postseason. He had a shaky start in the previous round against the Oakland Athletics, giving up five runs (four earned) on eight hits over four innings. During the regular season, he posted a 3.93 ERA (115 ERA+) and a 2.80 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11 starts.
McCullers does most of his work with two pitches: a 94-mph sinker and a curveball that generated whiffs on more than 40 percent of the swings taken against it. He'll also throw a changeup sometimes, and not just against lefties.
The Rays will counter with the veteran Charlie Morton, one of McCullers' old teammates.
Morton had a solid start in the Division Series against the New York Yankees, holding them to one run over five innings. That was his first appearance of the playoffs. During the season, Morton started nine times and accumulated a 4.74 ERA (90 ERA+) and a 4.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Morton throws three pitches more than 20 percent of the time: a 93-mph four-seamer, an upper-70s curveball, and a 93-mph sinker that he uses primarily against right-handed hitters. He'll occasionally mix in a cutter, too.
Prediction
Anything can happen in a single game. We'll give the Astros the nod here, if only to keep the series as interesting as possible.
