Red Sox-Indians ALDS Game 2: How to watch live, stream, preview
Can the Indians take a 2-0 lead in the best of five?
By
Matt Snyder
•
3 min read
After a dramatic Indians win in Game 1, the Red Sox are set to take on the Indians in Game 2 of the best-of-five ALDS in Cleveland on Friday afternoon.
Needless to say, every game in a best-of-five series is huge, and this one pits a pair of aces with the underdog Indians looking to grab a 2-0 lead.
Time: 4:38 p.m. ET
TV: TBS
Live Stream: Either TBS.com or MLB.tv (full details are in those links)
Here's a look at the pitching matchup in Game 2.
Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14) vs. Red Sox
Kluber has a shot at his second Cy Young award in the last three seasons. He led the AL in FIP and ERA+ while striking out 227 hitters in 215 innings. His curve/slider (depending upon who you ask) is utterly devastating when it's working. He's fully capable of going out and almost single-handedly dominating a game.
Of course, there is a mitigating circumstance here. Kluber is coming off a quad injury, and if that flares up and causes an early exit, it would be trouble for the Indians after the bullpen was extended a bit in Game 1. Not big trouble, just trouble.
Kluber was actually slightly better on the road this season, but the difference in the splits is negligible.
It's another story with how well he's come together down the stretch. He got off to a rough start, but since the beginning of June, Kluber is 14-3 with a 2.61 ERA (he was 4-6 with a 4.15 before that).
He saw the Red Sox twice, taking a loss on Opening Day (5 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 ER) but grabbing a win on May 20 (7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER). Note that both of those outings came before he actually became dialed in this year.
Only four Red Sox have seen Kluber at least 15 times:
David Ortiz: .250/.333/.688, 2B, 2 HR, 18 PA
Dustin Pedroia: .125/.176/.188 in 18 PA
Jackie Bradley: .231/.375/.692, 2 HR, 17 PA
Brock Holt: .333/.375/.333 in 16 PA
Smaller-sample-size goodness? Mookie Betts is 4 for 10 with a double and home run.
As for this stage, Kluber has never pitched in the postseason.
David Price (17-9, 3.99) vs. Indians
Price was definitely a workhorse in the first year of his gargantuan deal, leading the majors with 230 innings pitched and 951 batters faced. Of course, he also led the majors in 227 hits. He coughed up 30 home runs too, good for the highest home-run rate since his rookie year in 2007.
On that front, the Indians love hitting homers in Progressive Field. We saw the barrage in Game 1, and that was an extension of the regular season, when the Indians hit 99 bombs with a .469 slugging percentage at home as compared to 86 and .391, respectively, on the road.
As for Price on the road, he was slightly better this year (3.88 road ERA vs. 4.11 at home).
Price struggled into the gate, posting a 5.55 ERA in his last four starts. Of course, we've seen in the past players struggle heading into the postseason and then be fine. More troubling would be his season-long issues with consistency.
The Indians saw Price on Opening Day and he was very good, striking out 10 in six innings while giving up only two runs on five hits. Man, that was a long time ago, though, wasn't it?
In terms of Price vs. individual Indians hitters in their careers, we have a few guys who have seen him a lot. Mike Napoli has faced him 48 times, hitting .227 with two homers and 24 strikeouts. Carlos Santana, on the other hand, is hitting .323/.432/.452 in 37 plate appearances against Price. Jason Kipnis is hitting .308 with a pair of doubles in 26 PA. Small sample size? Lonnie Chisenhall is 4 for 11 (.364) with a double and home run.
The big thing with Price will be combating the notion that he can't pitch well in the postseason. He once threw a complete-game gem over the Rangers, but that was technically a regular-season game (number 163) to get into the playoffs.
In the actual postseason, Price is 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA. He's had some good outings and some bad luck, but also some pretty bad outings.
This one should be fun. It feels like it should be a pitcher's duel, but there's also the chance these powerful offenses jump all over the opposing pitcher. The series heads to Fenway Park for Game 3 on Sunday after this one. Will it be 2-0 Indians or 1-1?
