Jason Castro's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth turned into the official game-winning hit as the Houston Astros defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park. With the win, the Astros took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series. 

With his team trailing 1-0 and runners on second and third in the fifth, Castro grounded a 1-2 change-up into center field, scoring Luis Valbuena and Chris Carter with the tying and go-ahead runs. 

Valbuena had walked, and Carter had doubled. The single was Castro's first hit of the series, and it gave the Astros a 2-1 lead. 

Houston added single insurance runs in the sixth and seventh. In the sixth, Carlos Gomez did just what the Astros acquired him at the trade deadline to do: drive in big runs. Gomez singled home George Springer to give his team a 3-1 lead (video).

In the seventh, Carter launched a solo home run (1) onto the railroad tracks above the Crawford Boxes in left to extend the Astros' lead to 4-1.

Kansas City threatened in the ninth. Alex Gordon led off with a solo home run (1) that hit off the column above the yellow line in left-center field to pull the Royals to within 4-2.

The Royals then had two chances with the tying run at the plate following Alcides Escobar's one-out single. However, Luke Gregerson got Ben Zobrist to ground into a force out and Lorenzo Cain to strike out to end the game.

With Zobrist batting, Gregerson appeared to balk when he shrugged his shoulders after coming set, but there was no call. A balk call would have moved Escobar into scoring position and erased the force out.

Cain started the scoring with a solo home run (1) onto the railroad tracks in the top of the fourth that gave the Royals a short-lived 1-0 lead (video). 

Dallas Keuchel (W: 2-0, 0.69 ERA in postseason play) continued his dominant season with yet another gem. He pitched seven innings, allowing one run (Cain's home run) on five hits while walking three and striking out seven. Keuchel also pitched six shutout innings to beat the New York Yankees in the A.L. Wild Card Game on Tuesday, October 6.

Gregerson (S: 3) got his second save of the series and third of the postseason by getting the final four outs. He allowed Gordon's home run but got out of the ninth inning to end the Royals' threat.

Edinson Volquez (L: 0-1, 4.76) lasted 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits while walking four and fanning eight. Danny Duffy gave up the fourth Astros run (Carter's home run).

The Astros will have their first chance to clinch when Game 4 begins Monday at 1:00 p.m. EDT in Houston. Lance McCullers will start for Houston, and Yordano Ventura will take the hill for Kansas City. If the Astros win, they will await the winner of the Texas Rangers/Toronto Blue Jays series. Texas leads the series 2-0.

Should Texas win Sunday night, then the Astros/Royals game time could change.