Indians at Astros
Lonnie Chisenhall looks to continue his power surge when the visiting Cleveland Indians go for a three-game sweep of the major league-best Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon. Chisenhall homered in both games of the series, including a solo blast in the Indians’ 3-0 triumph Saturday, and has gone deep four times in the last six contests with eight RBIs in that stretch.
Cleveland, which is 4-1 against the Astros in 2017, has allowed three runs in the last two games after permitting 20 in the previous three outings against Tampa Bay. Danny Salazar hopes to extend the trend of strong pitching for Cleveland and begin turning his season around while Houston will counter with fellow right-hander Joe Musgrove, who goes for his third straight win in the series finale. The Astros, who are off to their best 43-game start in history (29-14), have managed just eight hits and are 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the series after winning nine of the previous 10 contests. Jose Altuve had one of Houston’s three hits Saturday to extend his hitting streak to six games - going 10-for-24 during that stretch - and raise his average to .308.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Danny Salazar (2-4, 5.66 ERA) vs. Astros RH Joe Musgrove (3-3, 4.57)
Salazar has yet to find the form that led to a spot on the American League All-Star team last season and surrendered five runs, including five homers combined, in each of his last two outings. The 27-year-old Dominican boasts 62 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings, but has given up 45 hits and 20 walks while making it past six innings once in eight starts. Jake Marisnick is 3-for-7 versus Salazar, who is 0-0 with a 1.47 ERA in three career outings against Houston.
Musgrove has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his eight starts, including the last two as he gave up three combined in victories against Miami and Atlanta. The 24-year-old Californian permitted eight homers overall this season, but Miami did not go deep against him in the last outing. Edwin Encarnacion is 1-for-5 with three strikeouts versus Musgrove, who is facing Cleveland for the first time and is 1-3 with a 4.78 ERA at home in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston LHP Dallas Keuchel is expected to miss one start after being placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to May 17, with a pinched nerve in his neck.
2. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis knocked in one of the runs Saturday and is 10-for-26 during a six-game hitting streak with three homers and eight RBIs.
3. Astros OF-DH Carlos Beltran, who went 0-for-3 Saturday, is one RBI behind Fred McGriff (1,550) for 46th on the major league’s all-time list.