In a matchup of two of the American League’s top clubs, Dallas Keuchel was once again on top of his game. The Houston lefty continued his strong start to the season, stifling the Indians in a 4-2 victory on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
Behind a complete-game six-hitter, Keuchel improved to 4-0 on the young season for the AL West-leading Astros, ending the night with a 1.22 ERA. The left-hander struck out five and sidestepped the potential harm of the three walks he issued. Keuchel has now thrown 11 complete games in his career.
“There were a ton of great defensive plays behind me tonight, and I owe a lot to the defense,” Keuchel said. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to do very well just based on how I felt in the bullpen and how it started.”
In the eighth inning of the win, though, the Astros lost both second baseman Jose Altuve and right fielder Teoscar Hernandez to injury after the two were involved in a scary collision in right field. Hernandez was hobbled by a bruised lower left leg, but Altuve seemed to be fine and may return when the series resumes on Wednesday night.
Right-hander Josh Tomlin turned in his second straight quality start (three runs allowed in six innings, with six strikeouts and no walks), but a four-batter lapse in the fifth inning was enough damage in light of the way Keuchel was throwing. In that stretch, Houston connected for four straight hits, including an RBI double from Norichika Aoki and a two-run single from Josh Reddick.
Cleveland’s two breakthroughs against Keuchel came via solo home runs. Austin Jackson belted his first of the season (and first since Oct. 1, 2015) in the third inning, and Michael Brantley added another in the ninth. Brantley’s drive was his fourth of the year.
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