Alex Bregman slugged his fifth career postseason home run. and Justin Verlander delivered a strong start for the Houston Astros, who claimed Game 1 of their American League Division Series against the visiting Cleveland Indians 7-2 on Friday.

Bregman was the first of four Astros to smack solo home runs, with George Springer and Jose Altuve adding back-to-back homers in the fifth inning off Indians right-hander Corey Kluber (0-1). Catcher Martin Maldonado added a leadoff homer to ignite the Astros' two-run seventh.

The Astros have recorded seven four-or-more homer games in the postseason, the previous instance coming in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series when they slugged five against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Houston took a 1-0 series lead with Game 2 set for Saturday at Minute Maid Park.

Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin and four relievers combined on a six-hitter Friday afternoon as the host Milwaukee Brewers rode dominant pitching to a second straight low-scoring win in the National League Division Series, 4-0 over the Colorado Rockies.

With the home team having prevailed in a pair of indoor pitchers' duels, the scene shifts to hitter-friendly Denver for Game 3 in the best-of-5 series on Sunday.

Mike Moustakas, the hero of Milwaukee's Game 1 with a walk-off single in the 10th, scored one run and drove in another to highlight the Brewers' offense.