Indians at Astros
Dallas Keuchel hopes to continue the run of superior pitching for the Houston Astros when he takes the mound Saturday afternoon against the visiting Cleveland Indians in the middle contest of a three-game set. The Astros have won eight of their last 10 games and allowed 14 runs combined during that stretch after Charlie Morton pitched seven strong innings Friday in a 4-1 triumph.
Houston gave up more than two runs just once during its hot streak on the hill Tuesday in the first of a three-game winning streak and will ride Keuchel in a battle of Cy Young winners Saturday as Cleveland counters with Corey Kluber. George Springer launched a solo homer in Friday’s victory for the Astros and the Indians went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position while leaving nine on base to suffer their eighth loss in the last 12 contests. Cleveland’s Michael Brantley takes an eight-game hitting streak (13-for-35) into Saturday’s contest and boasts 18 RBIs in 15 games during May. Slugger Edwin Encarnacion knocked in the Indians’ only run in the series opener with a solo blast, marking his first homer since belting three against Texas on May 2.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (6-2, 2.34 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (3-5, 3.10)
Kluber rebounded from his second loss of the season with a victory over Kansas City last Sunday, allowing two unearned runs and eight hits over seven innings. The 32-year-old Alabama native struck out just four in each of the last two games after averaging 7.6 across his first seven outings of 2018. Marwin Gonzalez is 7-for-14 with a pair of homers versus Kluber, who is 5-3 with a 3.26 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) against Houston.
Keuchel earned victories in his last two starts against Texas and Oakland while permitting just one run on eight hits and three walks combined across 15 innings. The 30-year-old Oklahoma native went 1-5 in his first seven trips to the mound despite registering four quality starts in that stretch. Brandon Guyer is 6-for-14 with a double against Keuchel, who is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA in six career appearances (five starts) versus Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez is 8-for-19 with a pair of homers and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
2. Houston OF Josh Reddick was a late scratch Friday with leg soreness and will be re-evaluated before Saturday’s game.
3. Indians SS Francisco Lindor is 1-for-10 in his last three games after hitting safely in the previous 15 contests.