Playoffs game blog: New York hosts Houston in AL wild card game

The Houston Astros are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and the New York Yankees for the first time since 2012. New York hosts Houston tonight at 8:08 p.m. in the American League wild card game. The winner advances to meet Kansas City (95-67) starting Thursday in the American League Division Series.

Houston (86-76) played well at the end of the year after losing its grip on the AL West lead to finish as the second wild card team. The Astros won six of their last eight. But a loss Sunday cost them the chance to host this game. The Orioles swept the Yankees in Baltimore, as New York (87-75) lost six of its last seven.

Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (20-8, 2.48 ERA), the AL's only 20-game winner, takes the mound tonight against right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (12-7, 3.51 ERA).

Keuchel, who is pitching on three day's rest, has thrown 16 scoreless innings over two starts versus the Yankees this season. He pitched a six-hit shutout June 25. He has given up just nine hits against New York with one walk and 21 strikeouts.

But while Keuchel went 15-0 with a 1.46 ERA at home in 2015, he went 5-8 with a 3.77 ERA in 15 starts on the road. Tanaka went 7-4 with an ERA of 3.71 in 14 home starts.

In the National League wild card game tomorrow night, Pittsburgh (98-64) hosts the Chicago Cubs (97-65). The winner advances to face St. Louis (100-62) in the National League Divison Series.

Former Oriole Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77 ERA) takes the mound for the Cubs against Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60 ERA). In his last 11 starts since Aug. 1, Arrieta went 10-0 with an ERA of 0.44.

In the ALDS, Toronto (93-69) hosts Texas (88-74) in Game 1 of the best-of-five series on Thursday. In the NLDS, the Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70) host the New York Mets (90-72) in a series that begins Friday.

Note to readers: We are trying something new here in publishing a playoffs game blog. Hopefully this provides a forum to continue some of the great conversation that has taken place at nights all season in the O's game blogs.

Come on in whenever you can tonight and any night during this postseason and leave a comment on tonight's game, leave a comment on the Orioles and/or send me a question or comment on any O's topic. Fans are very interested in looking ahead to the O's offseason. This is a great time to discuss that. So bring on the comments and the baseball discussion tonight and enjoy the postseason.