The Indians, after suffering a tough defeat to the Colorado Rockies last night, will try to get back on track tonight at 7:05, with Mitch Talbot opposing Jhoulys Chacin.
The Tribe did receive a late-night gift last night when the Dodgers beat the Detroit Tigers, leaving Cleveland’s one-game lead intact in the American League Central.
Chacin (8-4, 2.81 ERA) has won his last three starts. In 20 innings during that span he has allowed only two runs on 10 hits, striking out 18 and walking eight. During his current streak he has beaten the Giants, Dodgers and Padres. A guy who can win three straight games in his division, and be so dominant in doing so, is probably going to be a force to be reckoned with, and Talbot needs to be at the top of his game.
Chacin, who is 4-1 on the road this year, has never faced the Indians. He is in his third big league season, and has a career mark of 17-16, with a 3.17 ERA in 241.1 career innings.
Talbot (2-4, 5.02 ERA), who will be making his first career appearance against Colorado, has dropped his last three starts, but only in his last appearance, against the Tigers in Detroit last Thursday, was he hit hard during this stretch of individual losses. The Tigers pounded out nine hits and six runs in only four innings of work for Talbot, who walked two and struck out three in that effort.
This series will wrap up tomorrow, again at 7:05, when the Rockies’ Jason Hammel will face Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin.