Astros at Indians
The Cleveland Indians hope to wake up their dormant offense and avoid being swept when they host the Houston Astros for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Monday afternoon. The Indians, who finished third in the major leagues in hits during the regular season, have managed just six - five singles and a homer by Francisco Lindor - to go along with four walks and 24 strikeouts while dropping the first two contests of the best-of-five series.
“We just need to find a way to win Monday,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona told reporters after Saturday's 3-1 loss. “I’m guessing that Houston will enjoy their off-day more than we will. Other than that, show up on Monday and play for our baseball life. Nobody wants to go home.” Dallas Keuchel, who won two games in both the 2015 and 2017 postseasons, will try to close things out for the Astros while Cleveland's Mike Clevinger makes his first career postseason start after six relief appearances. Houston’s Alex Bregman has homered in each game of the series while registering a total of three RBIs and teammate Marwin Gonzalez has recorded five hits in seven at-bats after batting .247 during the regular season. The Astros finished September on an 8-2 run and have carried it over to the postseason, but manager A.J. Hinch does not expect his team to slow down. “This is not our first playoff series,” he told reporters. “We know it’s not over.”
TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 3.74 ERA) vs. Indians RH Mike Clevinger (13-8, 3.02)
Keuchel did not finish the regular season strong, going 1-1 with a 5.76 ERA in his last five turns while issuing 12 walks over 25 innings. The 30-year-old native of Oklahoma is 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in eight postseason appearances (seven starts) but allowed six runs over 11 frames in two outings against the Indians in 2018. Michael Brantley is 6-for-24 with a pair of homers and Jose Ramirez has gone 5-for-12 with three doubles versus Keuchel, who is 4-1 with a 2.79 ERA lifetime against Cleveland.
Clevinger was outstanding in the final two months of the regular season, going 6-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 11 games after posting his career-best 13th win on Sept. 28 at Kansas City in his last start. The 27-year-old lost both of his outings against Houston in May, allowing eight runs and 15 hits - including homers by Bregman and George Springer - over 11 2/3 innings. Clevinger, who is 7-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 17 home starts this season, has permitted six runs and nine walks over seven postseason frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Astros recorded eight extra-base hits - five homers and three doubles - in the first two games of the series.
2. The Indians have not been swept in the postseason since Willie Mays and the New York Giants won four straight in the 1954 World Series.
3. Houston went 3-6 on the road in the playoffs last year but won Game 7 of the World Series 5-1 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.