On his 11th pitch of the game, Rays starter Blake Snell made a mistake to Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, leaving a fastball down the heart of the plate that Altuve hit for a solo homer in the first inning. From there, the Tampa Bay pitching staff imposed its will.
The Rays bullpen stymied Houston's bats, while Tampa Bay's lineup did just enough in a 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the ALCS. Four Rays relievers combined for four shutout innings, with Diego Castillo finishing the job in a five-out save.
Tampa Bay tied the game on a solo home run by Randy Arozarena off of Astros starter Framber Valdez.