David Huff faces Derek Holland at 7:05 on Wednesday night as the Indians try to get even in this three-game series and to reach .500 again, after slipping below the break-even point with a 10-4 loss to the Rangers last night.
Huff (2-4, 3.05 ERA) will try to snap a personal two-game skid in his first appearance vs. Texas in 2011. David pitched a complete game and got a win in his only career outing against the defending American League champions, so, if nothing else, he is not going to be overly intimidated in trying to slow down the Rangers, who lead the Los Angeles Angels by three games in the West.
Texas will send Derek Holland (13-5, 4.12 ERA) to the hill tonight. Holland lasted only 1.2 innings in his prior start against The Good Guys, on August 5, giving up five hits and four earned runs, but avoided a loss when the Rangers prevailed 8-7.
Holland had quite a different line in his first start vs. the Tribe in 2011. On June 4 he pitched a complete game 5-hitter in a 4-0 Texas win, part of the Rangers’ four-game sweep of the Indians at Progressive Field.
Holland had back-to-back shutouts earlier this season, defeating the Athletics on July 7 and then the Mariners on July 14.
This series will wrap up with an 8:05 game on Thursday, when Fausto Carmona will face Alexi Ogando.