Gerrit Cole and Blake Snell, like Justin Verlander and Tyler Glasnow in Game 1, traded scoreless innings for the first three innings before Alex Bregman broke the tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cole kept the Rays bats silent for 7 innings and struck out 15 batters, the most in a postseason game since Roger Clemens in the 2000 ALCS. Meanwhile, the Astros tacked on another run in the seventh inning on a bloop single from Martín Maldonado and then scored their final run on a Carlos Correa single. Roberto Osuna relieved Gerrit Cole with two outs in the eighth and retired Yandy Díaz. Osuna started the ninth inning and ran into trouble immediately. He gave up back to back singles to Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham to start the inning and walked Ji-man Choi to load the bases. Osuna got Avisaíl García to ground into a forceout that scored Meadows from third. He then walked Brandon Lowe to load the bases again and was subsequently relieved by Will Harris with one out in the ninth inning. Harris then retired Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Kiermaier to end the game and seal the Game 2 victory for Houston.