Cy Young Favorites Arrieta, Keuchel Lead Road Teams To Wins in MLB Wild Card Games

Dallas Keuchel got things started in the MLB Wild Card round. He took the mound at Yankees Stadium leading the Houston Astros against the ‘Bronx Bombers’ and their own ace, Masahiro Tanaka. A classic MLB postseason matchup.

The Astros Cy Young favorite went six innings strong, throwing a three hit shutout, striking out seven on three days rest. A trio of ‘Stros pitchers came in the game to relieve Keuchel of his duties and they only allowed one man to get on base to complete the shutout of the Yankees.

The game broke open after the first pitch in the top of the second inning when Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus blasted a homerun to the second deck in right field off Tanaka. It didn’t end there for the Japanese ace as the fourth inning came around and Tanaka did much of the same. The first pitch he threw in the top of the fourth was blasted out of the park by another Astros outfielder, the newly acquired Carlos Gomez.

Before the game was all over, the diminutive Jose Altuve hit a single and scored Jonathan Villar off Yankees pitcher Dillen Betances and it all but sealed the deal for Houston.

The Astros will be facing off with the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.

Jake Arrieta’s scoreless innings streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates stretched to 15 innings by time the night was over as he dealt a complete game shutout against the Chicago Cubs division rivals in Pittsburgh. While Arrieta was at the center of some controversy in the middle of the game it was his pitching performance that stole the show.

The game broke open early in the top of the first as Dexter Fowler got a leadoff hit off Pirates ace Gerrit Cole and then he proceeded to steal second. Next up was rookie outfielder Kyle Schwarber who set the tone for the game when he got a hit and scored Fowler to give Chicago the early lead. The 1-0 score was all that Arrieta needed for the night.

Fowler and Schwarber were the only players to provide any type of offense for the Cubs during their MLB Wild Card game. Both the outfielders hit bombs into the outfield off Cole and they combined for five of the Cubs 7 hits on the night.

There was a small scrum in the middle of the game after Jake Arrieta was hit by Pirates relief pitcher Tony Watson and the benches clearing issue ensued.

Then, Pirates infielder Sean Rodriguez had some words for a member of the Cubs.

And then Rodriguez took out his frustrations on the Gatorade cooler.

Pittsburg, much like the Yankees, couldn’t get anything going at home and it proved to be their demise. Arrieta has now only allowed 4 earned runs in last 97 1/3 innings and he leads the Cubs over the Pirates.

Chicago will be facing off with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.