Playoffs game blog: Keuchel back to the mound; Toronto faces elimination tonight

As the American League playoffs resume today, Toronto faces elimination in one Division Series series. In the other, Dallas Keuchel will try to pitch Houston into a series lead in the first Astros home playoff game since 2005.

Kansas City plays at Houston this afternoon in Game 3 of that series, which is tied 1-1. Right-hander Edison Volquez (13-9, 3.55 ERA) faces Keuchel (20-8, 2.48 ERA), the AL's only 20-game winner.

Keuchel has a remarkable 15-0 home record with an ERA of 1.46 at Minute Maid Park this season. His ERA in Houston is the lowest home ERA in the AL since former Astro Nolan Ryan had a 1.07 ERA in 1972. Keuchel pitched six scoreless innings against New York in the AL wild card game on Tuesday. Over his last four starts, counting that outing, he is 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA. On paper, this makes Houston a big favorite today against Volquez, who went 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA in September.

Volquez is looking for success in the playoffs for the first time. He is 0-2 with a 12.15 ERA in two playoff starts, one with Cincinnati in 2010 and the other with Pittsburgh in 2014.

Tonight at 8:10 p.m., Texas hosts Toronto and can complete a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays. Right-hander Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.13 ERA) starts for Toronto against Texas left-hander Martin Perez (3-6, 4.46 ERA).

Estrada has had a solid year that includes allowing just 6.7 hits per every nine innings, a WHIP of 1.044 and a record of 7-3 with an ERA of 2.78 since the All-Star break. His average against in the second half of .183 led the AL.

The Toronto offense, batting .171 in the series' first two games, will look to break out tonight against Perez. Toronto led the majors with an OPS of .818 against left-handers in the regular season.