Here are some of the story lines that we'll be following during tonight's broadcast on SportsTime Ohio and on FOXSportsOhio.com.
First off, make sure to tune in to Indians Live at 7:30 prior to tonight's game at 8! On tonight's show, we'll recap the Tribe's recent homestand and analyze the team's vastly different levels of success on the road and at home. In addition, Katie Witham will talk to FOX Sports 1's Mark McLemore about the Indians and Major League Baseball. Finally, Indians Live will look at the Indians draft so far.
Some of the questions tonight's game might answer:
CAN THE TRIBE GET TO .500 ON THE ROAD?: The Indians are one game under now, but getting to the .500 mark may be tough this weekend on the road against Texas. The Tribe has the ALâs best home mark at 21-11 but they also have the leagueâs worst road mark at 9-19. Since taking two of three from Tampa Bay May 9-11, the Indians are 3-7 in their last 10 road games and have dropped four straight. Can they turn around their road issues?
YU OVERDUE? Texas' Yu Darvish (5-2, 2.08) has 41 strikeouts in his last four starts. He is 0-2 in his career against the Indians with a 3.00 ERA but has gone exactly 6 innings with 11 strikeouts, four walks, and one HR allowed in both. He is one of six pitchers since 1914 with consecutive games of at least 11 Ks ag'ainst the Indians. No one has done that three straight times.
WARM WELCOME FOR MURPHY?: David Murphy, who spent seven seasons with the Rangers before signing with the Indians as a free agent, plays his first game against his former team. The right fielder has an eight-game hitting streak and is batting 10 of 28 during that span.
CAN TREVOR BAUER PITCH ON THE ROAD?: Trevor Bauer (1-2, 3.63) has struck out eight in his past two starts. He has never faced Texas and has gone 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in five career starts/appearances on the road.
WILL THE CHOO SWOON CONTINUE?: Former Indian Shin-Soo Choo is hitless in five of his last nine games and is 7 of 44 in his last 13 games. Choo comes into the game batting .275 for the season.
FOX Sports Ohio's Joe Reedy contributed to this report.
