Tonight the Indians open up their final regular season homestand with a four-game set against the Houston Astros. Ubaldo Jimenez will take on Dallas Keuchel for the Astros. Jimenez has been on fire so far in September, but he did not fare well against the Astros earlier this year. Although I should mention that he faced them in April, which was his worst month of the season. He calmed down and his stats improved once the calendar flipped to May. (If you’re interested in reading about the improvement of Jimenez, I wrote this piece about him for the SweetSpot.) Back on April 21, Jimenez gave up 4 earned runs on 4 hits over 5 innings pitched, but still managed to snag the win 5-4.
Keuchel has spent the season bouncing between the bullpen and the starting rotation. The Tribe saw him back on April 20 when he came out of the pen – he gave up 3 ER (7 runs) and 7 hits over 2.2 innings pitched. He made his relief appearance in the Indians’ big 19-6 win in Houston.
Starting tonight, the Indians play Houston, Chicago and Minnesota to end the season – one team has already lost 100 games, and the other two aren’t far away from 100 losses. The playoffs are in the Indians’ hands at this point. If they can’t beat these teams over the last 10 games, they probably don’t deserve to be there to begin with.
This is my favorite moment of the 2013 Houston Astros. You should watch it at least 200 times…it just gets better and better with each viewing.
Use this thread to chat about the game.
Gosh, I could watch this version of Ubaldo pitch all day!
Are we seriously being pushed to the brink in a playoff race by the 100 loss badstros?
How the hell do we hang 1 run on a 5 era scrub on a team already making tee times? Gawd we suck.
I keep threatening to set things on fire. I will be arrested soon.
Perez is back. someone shoot me. Tell me which team is the worst team in baseball?
All those players lobbying for the fans to show up, are they going to offer refunds?
I’m glad Perez got out of that, but why did we have to get in it in the first place?
Come on tribe, how about some of that 90’s 9th inning magic?
I think I may need a new TV after the next time we strike out.
As an added bonus, the game is blacked out here in the Houston area because the Astros have an exclusive deal with Comcast. Comcast services about, oh, six or seven folks here in town.
If I pay for Extra Innings on DirecTV, why shouldn’t I be able to watch the local team on the road (not that I would normally want to)?
I can give you play by play….
…nothing is happening!
Ahem. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BGS1rvRKR7A&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBGS1rvRKR7A
LMAO!
Come on rook, end this!
Carson, you are my new hero!
Thank goodness. Did we really work that hard to beat the worst team in baseball?
I like Matt Carson
Swisher was smoking hot tonight. Great to see.
Something tells me the wins will get easier vs. the Astros as this series progresses. Not sure if winning the series 3-1 will prove sufficient so hopefully we can get the sweep. If we split with these guys- honestly, I do not think we deserve to make the playoffs so I refuse to acknowledge that possibility.
With both NY and Bal losing it looks like the Tribe is likely the only team with a chance to supplant TB or Texas. I think 7-2 over the remaining games and 90 wins gets it done.
Unfortunately, after we get done with them, the Lastros play the Rangers in a three-game set. But the Rangers will have to play in KC this weekend which as we found out is no picnic. If KC wins two out of three- we will be in good shape.
couldnt have happened to a better guy.
these guys have got to start hitting if we intend to go anywhere. Bourn, Santana and Aviles were 0’fers tonight.