Critical elements that could decide Game 2 of Astros-Tigers Wild Card Series
02 October
Hunter Brown will start Game 2 for Houston. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.
Detroit Tigers (86-76) at Houston Astros (88-73)
- Location: Houston, Minute Maid Park
- Date: Wednesday, 2:32 p.m. EDT
Pitching Matchup:
- Tigers: Tyler Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 77 strikeouts)
- Astros: Hunter Brown (11-9, 3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 179 strikeouts)
The Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros face off in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series, with Detroit leading 1-0 in the best-of-three set. The Tigers can advance to the ALDS with another win, while the Astros will be fighting to extend their postseason run.
Astros Outlook:
Houston, the reigning AL West champions, look to bounce back after dropping the series opener. The Astros have been strong at Minute Maid Park this season, posting a 46-35 home record. They’ve also excelled at keeping opponents in check, with a 38-16 record in games where they haven’t allowed a home run. Yordan Alvarez remains a key figure in the Astros’ lineup, leading the team with 35 homers, while Kyle Tucker has been hot, hitting .400 with three homers over the last 10 games.
You can see the Astros lineup for Game 2 below.
The Astros against pitching chaos: Altuve 4, Tucker 9, Alvarez DH, Bregman 5, Diaz 2, Caratini 3, Peña 6, Heyward 7, McCormick 8
Brown RHP
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 2, 2024
Tigers Outlook:
Detroit has been road warriors, going 43-38 away from home, and their pitching staff has been stellar, ranking third in the AL with a 3.62 ERA. Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have powered the Tigers’ offense, combining for 51 home runs on the season. If the Tigers’ bullpen holds strong again, they could advance to the next round.
Recent Form:
- Astros: 6-4 over their last 10 games, hitting .278 as a team, but they have struggled with a 4.10 ERA.
- Tigers: 7-3 in their last 10, backed by excellent pitching (3.30 ERA), though their offense has only managed a .229 average.
The Astros lead the season series 4-3, but the Tigers carry the momentum as they look to close out the series and move forward in the playoffs.
If you would like to see some reactions to Game 1, check out the videos below.
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Crucial matchups Houston Texans must capitalize on to neutralize mighty Bills
Oct 3, 2024, 4:19 pm
Coming off a thrilling comeback victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Houston Texans prepare to host Josh Allen and the Bills this weekend.
On offense, the Texans could really use some contributions from players not named CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, and Stefon Diggs. Fortunately for the Texans, Tank Dell is expected to return from a chest injury this week, that kept him sidelined against the Jags.
Getting the tight ends and running backs involved in the passing game would also go a long way against a defense as stout as the Bills'.
Speaking of running backs, Houston may have to rely on Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbuwale again this week, as Joe Mixon and Damien Pierce still haven't returned to practice.
Houston #Texans Thursday Injury Report for Week 5 vs. the Buffalo Bills: pic.twitter.com/wmcDnMcSeG
— Houston Texans PR (@TexansPR) October 3, 2024
Another area the team will look to clean up for the third straight week is penalties. They are dead last in the NFL, having committed 40 penalties through just four games.
Another way the Texans can get the offense going is by being more effective on early downs. They are currently in the bottom five in success rate and EPA (expected points added) per play on early downs.
They are relying on Stroud and Collins to save the day way too often on 3rd and long.
Texans defense
The defense will have their hands full with superstar QB Josh Allen. If they play like they did last week against a QB of Allen's caliber, it's highly unlikely they come away with a win.
Corner Kamari Lassiter was beat several times over the top against the Jags, but fortunately for him, Trevor Lawrence wasn't able to connect, overthrowing his receivers multiple times.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid will present a challenge for this Texans defense as well. He's an athletic playmaker that Allen will look to target frequently. Especially if his top receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) is unable to play.
X-factors
Outside of last week's loss to the Ravens, Buffalo has scored at least 31 points in every game. The Texans' offense will need to put some points on the board if they expect to win this week.
Stefon Diggs is once again playing against his former team. He'll want to perform well in what sets up to be a revenge game.
What does Vegas think?
The Bills are favored by a point, with the total sitting at 47.5 points.
There's so much more to get to, including our predictions for the game and much more. Be sure to watch the video above for the full preview of Bills vs. Texans!
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