The Kansas City Royals followed up their 2014 American League pennant with another great season in 2015, this time owning the best record in the AL, and will host the Wild Card Game-winning Houston Astros in the American League Division Series beginning on Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Astros vs. Royals 2015 ALDS schedule, start times & more
The last time the Astros and Royals were in the postseason in the same season was 1980.
Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
The shoe was on the other foot last year, with the Royals riding their Wild Card comeback all the way to the World Series, falling in Game 7 by one run.
This year, the young Astros try to be that team. After getting off to a hot start in 2015, Houston led the American League West for 139 days this season before getting tracked down in September by the division champion Texas Rangers. Houston battled back to capture a postseason berth in the season's final week, then beat the New York Yankees 3-0 in the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday night in The Bronx.
Astros ace Dallas Keuchel pitched six scoreless innings on three days rest to win on Tuesday, but now won't be available until Game 3 of the ALDS, on Sunday in Houston.
Houston was second in the AL with 230 home runs during the regular season, and saw both Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez go deep against New York.
Kansas City has a formidable offense of its own, with Ben Zobrist, Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain leading a balanced attack.
The Royals blew through the first two rounds of the playoffs in 2014, and that was without home field advantage. This season, they will start every series they are in at home in Kansas City, where the Royals were 51-30 this season.
The Astros took four of six games in their meetings with the Royals in 2015, sweeping them at home from June 29 through July 1, and dropping two of three in Kansas City from July 24-26.
ALDS Schedule
All times ET
Game 1: Thursday, Oct. 8 at Kansas City, 7:37 p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Game 2: Friday, Oct. 9 at Kansas City, 3:45 p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
Game 3: Sunday, Oct. 11 at Houston, 4:10 p.m. (MLB Network)
Game 4: Monday, Oct. 12 at Houston, TBD (Fox Sports 1)*
Game 5: Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Kansas City, TBD (Fox Sports 1)*
*if necessary
* * *
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