[SirGreatWhite]

In the much anticipated early season matchup between the two best teams in the AL (and all of baseball for that matter), the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros played out a heck of a series opener in game 1 of this 3 game set in Houston. Mind you this was the least anticipated pitching matchup of the 3 game series.

With a near sellout crowd on hand, Houston starter Alex Reyes (4-0; 4.03 ERA; 10.3 K/9 entering the game) faced off against Cleveland starter Danny Salazar (3-1; 3.97 ERA; 7.6 K/9 entering the game).

The game was an epic pitchers dual through 7 innings. Reyes allowed 4 hits in 8 innings pitched, striking out 7 Indians. The only mistake he made was in the top of the 7th inning when 2B Scooter Gennett hit a solo home run with 1 out in the 7th. Reyes finished the 7th strong and was only at 82 pitches entering the top of the 8th, so the Astros sent him back out. He finished the 8th inning. Reyes' final line: 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 7 K's, 2 walks.

Meanwhile, equally as impressive was Indians starter Salazar - who went through the first 7 innings with only allowing a single hit (a cheap single back in the 2nd inning to former Indian Michael Brantley). He came out for the top of the 8th and gave up a blooping single to Jose Altuve to lead off the inning; the next batter, Kyle Tucker hit a 2-1 pitch to the right field bleachers to give the Astros a 2-1 lead!! Salazar was pulled from there. Relief pitcher Nick Sandlin retired the next 3 Astros batters in order to end the 8th with the Indians trailing 2-1 heading to the top of the 9th. Salazar's final line: 7 innings, 3 hits, 1 walk, 5 K's, 2 earned runs.

The Astros brought on Ken Giles to finish this great game off. Normally, Craig Kimbrel has been filling in for the closer duties as Roberto Osuna is still on the IL for another 1-2 weeks. But Kimbrel had pitched in 2 of the last 3 games for the Astros, while Giles hadn't pitched in 3 days. Giles got JD Martinez to ground out to start the inning. Scooter Gennett followed with a single up the middle to put the tying run on first base. Carlos Santana struck out swinging on a full count for out number two. The last batter was pinch hitter Bobby Bradley. He hit a 2-1 count fastball deep to left center. Defensive substitute Derek Fisher (LF) was right in front of the wall as it fell in his glove to end the game.

Astros win 2-1!