Houston @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 8, 2015 ) Houston 5, Kansas City 2

Johnny Cueto hasn't lived up to expectations since being acquired by Kansas City, but the veteran has a chance to pay dividends when the Royals host the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Friday. Cueto, who was just 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts after being obtained from Cincinnati, will be aiming to help the Royals even the series at one win apiece.

Cueto will become a free agent after the season, so this may be his only chance at being a postseason hero for Kansas City. "I had never gone through something like that before," Cueto said of his struggles at a press conference through translator Pedro Grifol, the Royals catching coach. "That season is over. This is a new season, and you'll get to see what Johnny Cueto is all about." Houston posted a 5-2 victory in Game 1 as Colby Ramsus and George Springer homered while Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Rasmus also went deep in Tuesday's wild-card victory over the New York Yankees and has hit eight blasts in his last 14 games.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FS1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Scott Kazmir (7-11, 3.10 ERA) vs. Royals RH Johnny Cueto (11-13, 3.44)

Kazmir was winless in his last seven starts and is just 2-6 with a 4.17 ERA in 13 outings since being acquired from Oakland. "Just feels like a little rough patch that happened at a bad time," Kazmir said during a press conference. "It was something where I feel like one or two pitches throughout any one of those games could have been a different outcome." Kazmir is 5-8 with a 4.54 ERA in 20 career starts against Kansas City and has struggled against Eric Hosmer (9-for-23).

Cueto experienced a disastrous late-season stretch during which he had a 9.57 ERA while losing a career-worst five straight starts before going 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA over his final four outings. "There was a little concern that we couldn't figure it out, but it didn't worry us because we all knew we'd get it figured out by the time the playoffs started," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "And we did." Cueto is 3-6 with a 3.64 ERA in 13 career starts versus the Astros and has served up two homers to Carlos Gomez.

WALK-OFFS

1. Gomez (intercostal strain) is expected to start Game 2 after being limited to pinch-running duties in the series opener.

2. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales smacked two homers in Game 1 to become the first Royal since George Brett (1985) to have a multi-homer performance in the postseason.

3. Houston CF Jake Marisnick started Game 1 in place of Gomez and went 2-for-4 while making a diving catch with two on and one out in the fifth inning to thwart a scoring threat.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Royals 4