The Astros and Mariners ALDS series was already a decently hyped series. The Mariners, exhibiting shades of the 1995 crew that saved baseball in Seattle, headed into Houston after a thrilling comeback to seal a two-game sweep of the favored Blue Jays. They were set to face a heavily favored 106-win Astros team, carrying the best record in the American League, not all too different from the 100-win Cleveland team the 1995 squad faced in the ALCS.
This match up is the Davidic team of destiny looking to strike down Goliath. And to the glee of fans everywhere, you could say that game 1 delivered on that hype.