Game 18 Preview: Astros vs. Indians

Houston at Oakland, 1:10 PM CT

TV: CSN Houston
Radio: KBME 790
Indians SBNation Blog: Let's Go Tribe

Pitching Match

LHP Erik Bedard (0-1 / 7.04 ERA / 1.30 WHIP) vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2 / 11.25 ERA / 1.83 WHIP)

Preview

Let's all turn the page on yesterday. This is the third time in five games that Astros starters have failed to make out of the first inning. That says it all about Houston's current status if we can't even get out of the first.

Erik Bedard hopes to right the ship today against Cleveland. Bedard was one of the three pitchers that couldn't get out of the first - in Oakland, Bedard gave up six runs while only retiring one batter. Before that start, Bedard hadn't given up a run in 7.1 innings of work. Current Indians roster has a lifetime average of .280 against Bedard; Carlos Santana is batting .400.

Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't been much better then Bedard and the Astros this season. Jimenez has continued a trend of falling off the table since being traded to Cleveland - he has given up seven runs in his last two starts. In his previous start in Boston, Jimenez gave up the seven runs on only two hits and zero homeruns. The Astros will need to work the count, over those same to games the Cleveland starter has given up 8 walks.

Today is another chapter in the Astros' attempt to become the new team in a Major League remake.