Astros at Indians
Dallas Keuchel has been both remarkably dominant and consistent this season by allowing just one run in each of his last three outings while logging seven innings in all four. The 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner looks to continue his scintillating pitching while the Houston Astros vie for their 10th win in 12 outings on Tuesday when they open a three-game series versus the host Cleveland Indians.
"I think he's been as impressive in using his pitches correctly more so this year than dating back to any year of my time here - and that's including his Cy Young year," manager A.J. Hinch said of Keuchel, who has 22 strikeouts against six walks in 28 innings. Yuli Gurriel capped his second three-hit performance in three games with an RBI single in the 10th inning of Sunday's 6-4 triumph over Tampa Bay, improving to 15-for-32 with five runs both scored and driven in during his last nine contests. Cleveland's Francisco Lindor is providing an unexpected power surge by belting his club high-tying fifth homer of the season in Sunday's 6-2 setback to the Chicago White Sox. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican is just 3-for-16 in his last four contests on the heels of a 12-game hitting streak.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (3-0, 0.96 ERA) vs. Indians RH Josh Tomlin (1-2, 11.68)
Keuchel fanned seven batters for the second straight outing on Wednesday in a 5-1 rout of the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old has handcuffed Cleveland in his career with a 3-0 mark in five appearances, including scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings to highlight two solid performances in his last two meetings in 2015. Despite his gaudy record, Keuchel has struggled against the likes of Brandon Guyer (.600), Yan Gomes (.444) Jason Kipnis (.333) during his career.
Tomlin rebounded from permitting 13 earned runs in his first two starts (6 1/3 innings) by allowing just three over six frames in an 11-4 rout of Minnesota last Tuesday. The 32-year-old kept the ball in the park after yielding two in a short outing versus the Chicago White Sox on April 13. Tomlin has limited Houston's current roster to just a .176 batting average, with Carlos Beltran held in check with just one hit in 11 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley has recorded back-to-back multi-hit performances and five total during his current eight-game hitting streak, collecting three homers, six RBIs and nine runs scored in the process.
2. Houston sports a 6-2 road mark while the Indians have won just two of six at Progressive Field this season.
3. Cleveland OF Abraham Almonte has reached base in all 11 of his starts this season.