Cleveland @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2012 ) Cleveland 0, Tampa Bay 6
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Matt Moore is viewed as a budding ace and has been compared favorably to teammate and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price. Moore will take the hill when the Rays host the Cleveland Indians on Friday in the opener of a three-game set. Moore flashed his enormous potential in his second major league start, blanking Texas on two hits over seven innings in the 2011 playoffs.
Cleveland came up short in its bid for a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, losing a 10-8 slugfest in Thursday's series finale. Mark Reynolds and Carlos Santana each homered and drove in three runs to spark a 14-hit attack for the Indians, who had eight extra-base hits but could not overcome five homers hit by the Blue Jays. Cleveland sends young right-hander Zach McAllister to the mound to oppose Moore.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (2012: 6-8, 4.24 ERA) vs. Rays LH Matt Moore (11-11, 3.81)
McAllister begins his first full season in the majors after making 22 starts in 2012. He showed the ability to be a reliable starter, allowing three earned runs or fewer in 16 of his outings. McAllister faced the Rays in back-to-back starts in July, striking out eight and yielding four runs while taking a no-decision before permitting only one run on three hits in six innings in a 3-2 win at Tropicana Field. He's been prone to the long ball, giving up 17 homers in his last 17 starts.
Moore is seeking more consistency after an up-and-down rookie season that saw him labor through a pair of four-game losing streaks while also putting together a mesmerizing five-start stretch in which he went 4-0 and yielded only four runs. Moore capped his spring on a high note, allowing one hit and fanning five in four scoreless innings against the Detroit Tigers. "That's what he's supposed to look like, that's what he can look like," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "As he regains his confidence, you'll see that on a more consistent basis."
WALK-OFFS
1. Moore went 1-1 in back-to-back starts against Cleveland last year, giving up seven runs and walking 10 in only 9 2/3 innings.
2. The Indians will start RH Trevor Bauer on Saturday in place of ex-Rays LH Scott Kazmir (ribcage), who was placed on the disabled list.
3. Cleveland's Nick Swisher has hit 19 homers in 98 games against Tampa Bay.
PREDICTION: Rays 5, Indians 3