Bauer, Indians blank Astros
HOUSTON -- Trevor Bauer continued his mastery of the Houston Astros with seven shutout innings as the Cleveland Indians squared the three-game series with a 4-0 win on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.
Bauer (3-0) improved to 4-0 with a 0.67 ERA in four career outings against the Astros (13-21) by utilizing a breathless array of pitches. From his fastball, curve and changeup, Bauer worked with haste and efficiency, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Only once did Bauer face a batter with a runners in scoring position, and when Astros third baseman Luis Valbuena double with one out in the fifth inning, Bauer followed by getting Erik Kratz to ground out before second baseman Jose Altuve flailed at a wicked curveball.
The Indians (16-14) scratched across a pair of runs against Astros rookie right-hander Chris Devenski (0-2) in the first inning before doubling their 2-0 lead with two runs off right-handed reliever Josh Fields in the eighth. Francisco Lindor and Mike Napoli delivered run-scoring hits in the eighth to squash any hopes for an Astros rally.
The Astros, shut out for just the second time this season, will seek a winning record to close their 10-game homestand with right-hander Doug Fister opposing Indians righty Danny Salazar on Wednesday.
Lindor deserved an assist for the Cleveland uprising in the second inning, as his 15-pitch at-bat in the first provided his teammates plenty of pitches to scout from the dugout.
Lindor ultimately lined into a double play to close the first, but when Devenski returned to the mound an inning later, Cleveland pounced.
Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana reached to open the frame via a single and a walk, an ominous start for Devenski, who labored for 23 pitches in the frame. Devenski surrendered a fielder's choice RBI to Juan Uribe when he failed to cleanly field a grounder back to the mound, allowing Napoli just enough time to slide in under the tag of catcher Erik Kratz.
Lonnie Chisenhall followed with a run-scoring double to right, plating Santana and doubling the Cleveland lead. Immediately thereafter, Devenski found his groove, retiring six consecutive batters before facing the minimum in the fourth inning when Kratz erased Jose Ramirez, who singled and tried to swipe second.
Devenski worked around a Chris Gimenez one-out single in the fifth, retired the side in order in the sixth, and induced a double-play grounder from Uribe before walking Chisenhall. The Houston started departed after allowing two runs on five hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five.
NOTES: Indians LF Michael Brantley will miss the remainder of the series to ease his workload after offseason right shoulder surgery. He was activated from the disabled list on April 25. With Cleveland set for a scheduled off day Thursday, Brantley will have three days to rest before the Indians host Minnesota on Friday. ... Astros C Jason Castro was placed on the paternity list after the birth of a son Tuesday. The club expects Castro to return this weekend for the series in Boston. The club recalled C Max Stassi from Triple-A Fresno, where he hit .143/.200/.143 during four games on a rehab assignment (left wrist fracture). ... Astros RHP Lance McCullers (right shoulder soreness) threw a bullpen session and is on schedule to make his season debut this weekend in Boston. He worked five scoreless innings for Triple-A Fresno on Saturday in his lone rehab appearance.