The Cleveland Indians and shortstop Francisco Lindor put on a power display Friday evening, spoiling the Friday night fireworks at Minute Maid Park, topping the Astros 6-3. Cleveland improves to 15-10, while dropping the Astros to 15-11 on the season.
The Astros dropped a pitchers duel Thursday evening in a Cole/Bauer matchup, Friday night, it looked as if they had the Indians 2x-Cy Young Award winner, Corey Kluber figured out through the first couple of innings.
While the Astros didn't plate a run in the first inning, they did yeild 21 pitches from Kluber and after putting two runners in scoring position, forced Kluber to pitch out of trouble.
The Astros were able to break through in the second-inning after a leadoff double from Josh Reddick. Yuli Gurriel followed with a single of his own, before Robinson Chirinos dropped a one-out bunt down between the pitchers mound and first base, scoring Reddick from third. Jose Altuve worked Kluber for a walk, and loaded the bases for Alex Bregman who was looking to do some real damage on his "stare" bobblehead night. Bregman also worked a walk from Kluber, which plated Gurriel and put the Astros on the board first, 2-0.
Indians shortstop, Francisco Lindor deposited the first of his two home runs on the night, a 3-2 slider from McHugh in the right-field upper deck to cut into the Astros 2-1 lead in the 3rd. Carlos Gonzalez added a one-out, solo shot to the board for the Indians in the fourth, taking a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right-center, tying the game at 2-runs apiece.
The Astros answered in the home half of the fourth inning thanks to an RBI double from George Springer, scoring Robinson Chirinos who singled in the inning, putting the Astros back on top 3-2. Though, that was the last time the Astros would have the lead.
In the fifth, this time with two-outs, McHugh had a first-pitch slider taken for a ride around the right-field foul pole by Indians centerfielder Leonys Martin, tying the game at three-runs apiece.
The homerun ball has been a problem fro McHugh the last two games. He allowed two homers in Arlington against the Rangers his last outing, three more Friday night.
McHugh said those long balls were tough, given that they all came in innings in which the Astros had scored as well.
McHugh added, that even though a couple of home runs came via his slider, he felt like they were quality pitches and the Indians did a good job of staying back on them.
"They were pretty left-handed dominant, I did a good job with the slider and a less than adequate job with the cutter".
Spending all of the 2018 seaosn in the bullpen, McHugh threw 99 pitches Friday, the most he's thrown in a start since September of 2017. On the outing, McHugh allowed four hits in 5 2/3 innings of work while walking two and striking out nine Indians.
On to pitch the seventh-inning, Hector Rondon surrendered a first-pitch single to Roberto Perez. Tyler Naquin then took a Rondon fastball to deep center, scoring Perez easliy from first, giving the Indians a 4-3 lead. Rondon took the loss, is now 2-1 on the season with 2.79 ERA.
A hard hit liner to center from Josh Reddick was unable to find grass, stranding runners on first and third in the seventh-inning.
Chris Devenski pitched out of a little trouble in the 8th keeping it 4-3 Indians, while Astro hitters couldn't create any in the home half.
Josh James had to escape trouble in the the 9th, but not before Fransico Lindor depsoited his 2nd homer of the game into the left field stands, giving Cleveland a 6-3 advantage. The Indians kept the base paths busy all night, putting runners on every inning except the second-inning.
The Astros will have Brad Peacock (2-1, 4.29 ERA) on the hill Saturday afternoon (3:05pm) opposite the Indians Shane Beiber (2-1, 3.47 ERA).
Astros fall to 0-5 when they don't hit a home run.
Collin McHugh has allowed 5 home runs in his last 2 outings (2 vs. TEX).
Michael Brantley extended his hit streak to 12 games (2x5 Friday, 18x48 during streak).
Francisco Lindor, 25 years old, became the 3rd youngest SS in MLB history to hit 100 HR's.