Playoffs game blog: Game 5s in both ALDS

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

October 14, 2015, 12:00pm

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One game to decide the series. Both American League Division Series have reached that point, and today we will see a pair of Game 5s to decide which two teams advance to the American League Championship Series.

Toronto hosts Texas this afternoon with right-hander Marcus Stroman (4-0, 1.67 ERA) facing left-hander Cole Hamels (13-8, 3.65 ERA).

The Blue Jays' offense was held to seven runs and a .171 batting average in the first two games. But in Games 3 and 4 at Texas, Toronto scored 13 runs while hitting four homers and batting .309. Toronto hit three homers in Monday's 8-4 win in Game 4.

Stroman was expected to miss this entire season due to a torn ligament in his left knee in spring training. But he returned to the majors on Sept. 12, beat the Orioles by allowing one run in eight innings on Sept. 30 and today pitches the biggest game of the year to date for a Toronto team looking for its first World Series title since 1993.

This is a rematch of Friday's Game 2 won by Texas in 14 innings. Stroman went seven innings, allowing five hits and four runs. Hamels went seven innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Hamels went 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA this year in 12 starts with Texas.

Kansas City will try to ride the momentum from its Game 4 comeback win to make it back to the ALCS. The Royals were down 6-2 in the eighth inning Monday, but produced a stunning rally for a 9-6 victory over the Astros.

Johnny Cueto (11-13, 3.44 ERA) pitches for Kansas City against Houston right-hander Collin McHugh (19-7, 3.89 ERA).

Kansas City traded three prospects for Cueto, who struggled, going 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA for the Royals in 13 starts. He is 0-2 with a 5.52 ERA in four postseason starts and gave up four runs in six innings in Game 2.

McHugh was the winning pitcher for Houston in Game 1. He went six innings, allowing four hits and two runs on 92 pitches. In 16 road starts in 2015, he went 7-4 with a 4.05 ERA.

Most recent appearance in a LCS:
2014 - Kansas City
2011 - Texas
2005 - Houston (NL)
1993 - Toronto