Well, the Indians still have the 4th-highest home winning percentage in the AL (.591) even though they dropped the first two games of this four-game series against the Tigers. Perhaps tonight they can pull it all together.
Danny Salazar (5-6, 4.23) makes the start for Cleveland against Justin Verlander (12-11, 4.68). What do we want from Salazar tonight? Five innings. He’s made 10 starts this season in which he worked at least 5.0 innings. In those starts, Salazar had 56 strikeouts and only 19 walks and the Indians went 8-2. Over the first 24 starts of Salazar’s career, he’s gone 7-2 with a 2.67 ERA when he reaches the 5.0-inning mark (16 starts) When he doesn’t make it through 5 innings, he’s 0-7 with a 6.69 ERA. So yeah, let’s hear it for five innings.
Indians’ starting lineup:
Bourn, CF
Ramirez, SS
Brantley, LF
Santana, 1B
Kipnis, 2B
Chisenhall, 3B
Gomes, C
Giambi, DH
Walters, RF
Tigers’ starting lineup:
Kinsler, 2B
Hunter, RF
Cabrera, DH
Martinez, 1B
Martinez, LF
Castellanos, 3B
Suarez, SS
Holaday, C
Davis, CF
Will Francona let Salazar go for the shutout in the 9th?
Just what the doctor ordered. So thankful that there wasn’t a save opportunity.