Home cookin’: It is much appreciated after a long vacation, a big business trip or that first trip to grandma’s house in a long time…it is also wonderful when your baseball team hasn’t played a home game in more than two weeks and needs to regain their winning ways!

After enduring a lengthy All-Star Break and grinding through a 9-game road trip to open the second half of the season, the Tribe returns home to play 20 of their next 25 games at Progressive Field and is more than ready for some home cookin’:

  • After a 4-5 road trip, Cleveland returns to the Corner of Carnegie and Ontario for the first time since July 10th.
  • The Indians flaunt an impressive 26-16 record at home this year, but enter play Tuesday night having played the fewest home games (42) of any team in MLB, by a substantial margin.
  • Since the end of their vaunted 14-game winning steak, the Tribe has a record of just 7-11 and will be looking to regain the form that propelled them to the top of the AL Central Division.
  • Despite losing 11 of their past 18 games, the Indians only lost 1.5 games off their Division lead, which currently sits at 5.5 games over Detroit

The Wahoos kick off a 9-game home stand in style, as the Washington Nationals (58-41) come to town for a quick two-game series, which will be followed by a corresponding two-game series in D.C. next week.

Tribe ace Danny Salazar (11-3, 2.75) will square off against Nats’ southpaw Gio Gonzalez (4-6, 4.73):

  • The Cleveland lineup Tuesday night will feature four switch hitters, with Jason Kipnis serving as the only natural left-handed hitter.
  • The Tribe lineup has struggled, with a career average of just .222 (8 for 36), for those who have faced Gonzalez.  Both Mike Napoli and Juan Uribe have homered off the southpaw in limited at bats.
  • Daniel Murphy and Ben Revere are the only Nationals players with career at bats against Salazar.

PROGNOSTICATION:

 The Tribe began their 9-game road trip with a bang, winning four of six in Minnesota and Kansas City before slumping to a 3-game sweep at the hands of Baltimore.  I look for the Tribe offense to break out tonight and get back on track at home.  Gio Gonzalez can be wild at times, so if the Indians take their normal approach and work the pitcher, they should find success.  Salazar should benefit from facing an NL team who has such limited experience against him…getting through Harper and the Nats that first time through the order will be key.  Look for Cleveland to take home a 7-3 win and kick off their home stand with a bang!

TUESDAY NIGHT’S LINEUPS:

NATIONALS INDIANS
 CF  Trea Turner (R)
CF
Rajai Davis (R)
 RF  Bryce Harper (L)
2B
Jason Kipnis (L)
2B
Daniel Murphy (L)
SS
Francisco Lindor (S)
 C  Wilson Ramos (R)
1B
Mike Napoli (R)
 DH  Jayson Werth (R)
DH
Carlos Santana (S)
 3B  Anthony Rendon (R)
LF
Jose Ramirez (S)
 1B  Ryan Zimmerman (R)
3B
Juan Uribe (R)
 SS  Danny Espinosa (S)
RF
Abraham Almonte (S)
 CF  Ben Revere (L)
C
Roberto Perez (R)
SP
Gio Gonzalez (LHP)
SP
Danny Salazar (RHP)

 

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