*The Astros beat the Indians after Cleveland hit for the Keuchel: 9IP, 6H/2ER, 5K:3BB. Once again, both Indians runs were solo homers. Keuchel has allowed five earned runs in 37IP this season, and four of those runs were solo home runs. Astros win 4-2.
*Keuchel:
There were a ton of great defensive plays behind me tonight, and I owe a lot to the defense. 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.
*Also Keuchel:
I think everybody's just kind of sick of talking about last year and how bad we were. So everybody's coming out ready to prove some stuff and then make a playoff run. That's it. Everybody comes to the park ready to go.
*Jose Altuve and Teoscar Hernandez were involved in a scary collision that may land Teoscar on the DL.
*The injury to Hernandez put Springer back into game action for the first time since Saturday.
*Statcast highlights that hitters aren't making nearly the contact on Lance McCullers' changeup in 2017 as they did in 2016.
*Jake Marisnick was placed on the 7-Day DL with a concussion and Teoscar Hernandez has been called up to take his spot.
*Scroll down far enough and you'll read Ken Rosenthal write that Gurriel looks more comfortable at the plate and "is mature enough to understand that he's a good hitter first, not a slugger."
*The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jeff Gordon, who has a hard time keeping Jeff Luhnow's name out of his mouth, says the "deliberate losing is finally paying off." Gordon also spelled Dallas Keuchel's name wrong. Twice.
*SI: Hunter Greene is the star baseball needs.
*Bob Grossman figured out how to hit lefties.
PreStros Report: Games of April 25
Pitching has been an issue for the Grizzlies (PCL-worst 5.71 ERA / PCL-worst 1.74 WHIP) and yesterday was no different in a 9-7 loss to Salt Lake. Edison Frias allowed 4H/5ER, 3K:4BB; Reymin Guduan (0.2IP) and Dayan Diaz (1.2IP) each allowed 3H/2ER. Jordan Jankowski was the only effective reliever, retiring all five batters he faced. Derek Fisher was 3x5 with a double and a solo homer. Reid Brignac was 2x4 with a triple and 3RBI, Andrew Aplin was 2x3 with 2RBI and Tony Kemp was 2x5 with a stolen base. Colin Moran and Max Stassi were each 1x3 with a double, RBI and two walks.
Corpus (12-7) got a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th from Ramon Laureano in a 4-3 Hooks win. Dean Deetz killed it again, this time with 5IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:1BB. Kent Emanuel gave up all three runs in 2.2IP. Riley Ferrell allowed 0H/0ER, 3K:3BB in 3IP and Andrew Thome got the win with 1.1IP, 0H/0ER relief. Drew Ferguson was 4x6 with a double, Jon Singleton was 2x3 with a double, two walks, 2RBI; Jack Mayfield was 2x5.
Buies Creek's game at Winston-Salem was postponed due to rain.
Peoria put up four in the top of the 2nd inning and never trailed in a 9-5 win over Quad Cities. All four Quad Cities pitchers allowed at least one earned run, with Dustin Hunt getting the start and lasting just 1.1IP, 3H/4ER, 1K:3BB. Ronnie Dawson was 2x4 with a homer, walk, and 3RBI. Alex De Goti and Marcos Almonte (BB, RBI) each had two hits.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
