Tampa Bay leads the series 1-0
Astros drop ALCS Game 1 to Rays after wasted chances at the plate
Oct 11, 2020, 10:29 pm
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Astros Jose Altuve
With four teams left in the MLB postseason, Sunday night began the best-of-seven ALCS between the Astros and Rays who would battle for the right to represent the American League in the 2020 World Series. It set up to be an intriguing pitching battle, with Houston's best arm, Framber Valdez, going against 2018 Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
Blake Snell, despite having his pitch count elevated early, would edge out Valdez by going five innings during which his team provided him a 2-1 lead, which they would hold on to through the end. The loss puts Houston down 1-0 in the ALCS with Game 2 tomorrow afternoon. Here is a rundown of Game 1:
Final Score: Rays 2, Astros 1.
Series: TB leads 1-0.
Winning Pitcher: Blake Snell.
Losing Pitcher: Framber Valdez.
Teams trade early runs
As the visiting team in the first two games, the Astros at the plate first to start Game 1. Jose Altuve took advantage, grabbing the early momentum for Houston with a one-out solo home run to take a 1-0 lead. They continued to put pressure on Blake Snell, including loading the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth but would strand all three runners.
That was fast. 😳#ALCS pic.twitter.com/JV8opM4NVA
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2020
Framber Valdez looked like his usual, sharp self in the game's early goings, allowing just one hit and one walk through the first three innings. Tampa Bay would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth, though, with Randy Arozarena banging a hanging fastball to center-field on a solo homer to tie the game 1-1.
Valdez goes six, but leaves down a run
While Snell would finish the fifth at 105 pitches and go no further, Valdez was having an efficient start to his night despite the earlier homer. A leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth would bite him, though, as back-to-back groundouts would move the runner to third to set up a two-out RBI-single by Mike Zunino to give Tampa Bay their first lead at 2-1. Valdez would make it through the sixth before Dusty Baker would move to the bullpen in the one-run game. His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8K, 1 HR, 95 P.
Tampa Bay takes Game 1
Blake Taylor was the first reliever for Houston, taking over for Valdez in the bottom of the seventh. He would only get one out, a strikeout between a leadoff double and hit-by-pitch to put two runners on with one out, prompting another pitching change to bring in Enoli Paredes. Paredes would strand the runners, keeping it a one-run game heading to the eighth.
Houston would load the bases in the top of the eighth after a hit-by-pitch for Michael Brantley, walk by Carlos Correa, and a single by Kyle Tucker. That brought Yuli Gurriel to the plate, who would ground the first pitch he saw into a double play as the Astros would once again leave runs on the bases. Brooks Raley pitched the bottom of the eighth, working around a leadoff infield-single to get through the frame scoreless. Houston would come up empty in the top of the ninth, falling 2-1 in Game 1 to put the Rays a leg up heading into Monday's Game 2.
Up Next: ALCS Game 2 between the Astros and Rays will be Monday with a 3:07 PM Central start time to accommodate NLCS Game 1 on Monday evening. Lance McCullers Jr. will take the mound for Houston, who will stay as the visiting team, going opposite of former-Astro Charlie Morton for the Tampa Bay, who remains the home team.
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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