Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesFollowing a full Friday of postseason MLBaction [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-rod-carew-jersey]http://www.twi... , the American League takes center stage for a pair of American League Division Series Game 2 showdowns.The Houston Astros commenced their title defense with four long balls and another Justin Verlander gem to take an early lead over the Cleveland Indians. Both division champions have another ace in tow for the second bout at Minute Maid Park.Reigniting their storied rivalry in October, the Boston Red Sox pegged J.A. Happ for five runs before the New York Yankees could hand a lead to their dominant bullpen. After escaping with a 5-4 triumph, they will rely on David Price to reverse his playoff struggles against a rival that has routinely given him trouble.With tons of star power on display, let's break down each of Saturday's pivotal Game 2 matchups.MLB Playoff BracketALDS: Houston Astros 1, Cleveland Indians 0ALDS: Boston Red Sox 1, New York Yankees 0NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers 2, Colorado Rockies 0NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Atlanta Braves 0 ALDS Schedule: Saturday, Oct. 6Cleveland Indians at Houston Astros: 4:37 p.m. ET on TBNew York Yankees at Boston Red Sox: 8:15 p.m. ET on TBSLive Stream:TBS Watch Live Cleveland Indians vs. Houston AstrosThe Cleveland Indians will attempt to even the series behind Carlos Carrasco.Brian Davidson/Getty ImagesGame 1's battle between former AL Cy Young Award winners went far better for Verlander than Corey Kluber, who ceded home runs to Alex Bregman, George Springer, Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve in a 7-2 loss.Springer stayed hot on the grand stage by depositing his eighth dinger in 25 career postseason bouts:MLB Stat of the Day MLBStatoftheDayGeorge Springer has hit a dinger in FIVE STRAIGHT #postseason games. That ties him with former Astro carlosbeltran15 for 2nd-longest streak in MLB history. FDyFAuaDRaThe onerous task of silencing Houston's young studs now falls to Carlos Carrasco. After tossing 5.2 scoreless frames in last year's 1-0 ALDS loss to the Yankees, Cleveland's overlooked ace netted a 3.38 ERA and career-high 231 strikeouts this season.He will face one of the few teams able to deploy another elite hurler. In his first season with the Astros [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-brian-dozier-jersey]Brian Dozier Jersey[/url] , Gerrit Cole posted a 2.88 ERA and 276 strikeouts, the AL's second-highest clip behind Houston's Game 1 victor.Sports Info Solutions SportsInfo_SISLargest Increase in Strikeout Rate - 2017 to 2018Gerrit Cole 11.2 percentage ptsBlake Snell 9.8Patrick Corbin9.2Justin Verlander 9.0Largest declineCorey Kluber -7.7Clayton Kershaw -5.9In addition to de-emphasizing a sinker that yielded a 132 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) last season, the strikeout percentage on Cole's four-seam fastball soared from 24.5 to 32.8 percent. Per David Barron of the Houston Chronicle, the 28-year-old righty credited the Astros for unlocking his ace ceiling."They're really forward-thinking," Cole said. "They have a system analytically that's really advanced and is designed ... for the player to better themselves. And then A.J. [Hinch] plays his hand accordingly on how he wants to design the lineup or the defense and whatnot."It won't be easy to score off Cole, but Cleveland still needs an early lead. Although the strength of 2016's World Series run, the bullpen betrayed the AL Central champions by allowing a 4.60 ERA this season.On Friday, the Astros tacked on three insurance runs鈥攖wo against Cody Allen鈥攁t the backsliding unit's expense.The Astros, on the other hand, are so flush with bullpen options that Joe Smith, Brad Peacock and Chris Devenski didn't even make the ALDS roster.This advantage鈥攁nd Houston's superfluous power鈥攚ill make all the difference in a well-pitched game from Cole and Carrasco.Prediction: Astros 4, Indians 3New York Yankees vs. Boston Red SoxMasahiro Tanaka will look to replicate last years postseason success.Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesRemember Cleveland's 1-0 loss started by Carrasco last year? Masahiro Tanaka tossed seven shutout innings on the other end of the pitchers' duel.It was the first of three sensational playoff turns for the righty, who yielded 13 baserunners (10 hits and three walks) and two runs through 20 frames. For those who justifiably dismiss October as old news [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-morneau-jersey]http://ww... , his 2.85 second-half ERA offers a more recent dose of success.Tanaka is nearly unhittable when effectively commanding a devastatingslider that flummoxed opponents to a .173/.227/.318 slash line and 27.4 strikeout percentage this season. Yet he also surrendered a 6.26 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox, who hit sliders better than any team in baseball.Despite Tanaka's 2018 struggles against the potent AL East rival, viewers will hear far more about Price's well-documented difficulties combatting the Bronx Bombers.Price has stumbled to a 4.90 ERA in 250 career innings against his long-term adversary. Although this marks the former AL Cy Young Award winner's ninth playoff appearance for a fourth AL squad, he has yet to encounter the Yankees in the postseason.Talk of his overall October shortcomings will also resurface if he falters. He lowered hiscareer playoff ERA to 5.08 by tossing 6.2 innings from the bullpen in last year's ALDS.Price is also rolling into October with a 2.25 ERA after the All-Star break. And at least the game takes place at Fenway Park, where he posted a 2.98 ERA.Christopher Smith SmittyOnMLBDavid Price has given up 16 homers against the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox. 13 have come at Yankee Stadium, only 3 at Fenway Park.Yet the Yankees belted an MLB-high 82 long balls against southpaws during the season while stamping the second-best wRC+ (115) behind the Astros. Boston ranked second in wRC+ (116)versus righties, so don't be surprised if either or both starters are knocked out early.A battle of bullpens would favor the Yankees, and manager Aaron Boone should not hesitate to open the reliever floodgates. Pounded for a 7.91 ERA the third time through the order, Tanaka earned a 2.61 ERA in 120.2 previous innings.New York's starter just needs to hold the fort down for four or five frames before Boone unleashes his late-inning power pitchers on Boston.Prediction: Yankees 6, Red Sox 4 Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphsunless otherwise noted. NEW YORK (AP) — One of the few teams to have much success against Jacob deGrom all year has been the last-place Miami Marlins.Go figure.In his latest hard-luck loss during a record-setting season, deGrom was outpitched by Jose Urena as the Marlins beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Tuesday night.“These guys, they want to score for him so bad, you can see it [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-kirby-puckett-jersey]Kirby Puckett Jersey[/url] ,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “Unfortunately, we just haven’t done that very much.”Locked in a compelling race for the NL Cy Young Award despite his pedestrian record, deGrom (8-9) gave up only Lewis Brinson’s two-run double in seven stellar innings. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out nine , his major league-low ERA climbing just a tick from 1.68 to 1.71.Even still, he fell to 0-2 in four starts against Miami (57-86), which has won three of those games.“You just have to scrap for your hits,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We just hang in there. I think the games we’ve been able to beat him, I think our starters have been good.”Urena (6-12) permitted one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Marlins, who were rained out the previous two days. He is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts, and 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in three career starts at Citi Field.After his outing was pushed back two days because of rain, deGrom held his opponent under four runs for the 26th straight start — breaking a big league single-season mark set by King Cole in 1910 with the Chicago Cubs.“I wasn’t as comfortable as I normally am. What was I at, eight days or so?” deGrom said. “To go that long without being on the mound, I felt a little off. But I was able to kind of correct myself as the game went on.”In a recurring theme [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-byron-buxton-jersey]http://www.... , however, the Mets didn’t provide much help. All they could muster at the plate was Michael Conforto’s solo homer off Urena and Kevin Plawecki’s two-run shot against Drew Steckenrider with two outs in the ninth.Conforto has homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.JT Riddle came off the bench and homered into the second deck in right field in his first at-bat for Miami since returning from a sore left wrist.“Those two rainouts really helped. Got me two extra days to rest,” he said. “It felt really good, especially being off a week now.”After missing five games, Riddle connected in the eighth against reliever Anthony Swarzak, who made his first major league appearance since Aug. 3. The right-hander was recently activated from the disabled list after missing time with shoulder inflammation.Miami got three straight hits off Robert Gsellman to start the ninth, including an RBI triple by Brian Anderson and Derek Dietrich’s run-scoring double.A resurgent Brinson doubled off the center-field fence with two outs in the fourth. After that, deGrom set down his final 10 batters and finished the night with 239 strikeouts, equaling the career high he set last season.“I think you kind of understand that you’re only going to have a couple opportunities off a guy like him,” Anderson said. “Usually it’s one or two a game. And he’s really good at shutting down those opportunities. I think with runners in scoring position, guys are hitting under .100 off of him. Having a guy like Lewis come in there and get that hit against him, and with two strikes, really helped our morale and really got us going there.”Mets third baseman Todd Frazier was ejected after the sixth by plate umpire Dan Bellino.MAKING STRIDESBrinson is batting .400 (12 for 30) with a homer [url=http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-ervin-santana-jersey]Ervin Santana Jersey[/url] , three doubles and six RBIs since coming off the disabled list Sept. 1. He has upped his season average to .206.TRAINER’S ROOMMarlins: RHP Dan Straily (strained left oblique) felt discomfort while throwing for the first time since leaving his last start. He could miss the rest of the season, Mattingly said.Mets: 3B David Wright took live batting practice on the field as the Mets’ captain tries to complete his comeback from a string of debilitating injuries.UP NEXTA single-admission doubleheader Wednesday to make up Monday’s rainout. RHP Trevor Richards (3-8, 4.73 ERA) and RHP Jeff Brigham (0-1, 9.00) are the scheduled Miami starters, with RHP Zack Wheeler (10-7, 3.39) and LHP Jason Vargas (5-9, 6.75) set to go for the Mets.