Bauer holds down Astros once again

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians can't seem to beat Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros can't seem to beat Trevor Bauer.

Keuchel threw a six-hitter on Tuesday night to improve to 4-0 lifetime against the Indians. Bauer wasn't as tidy on Wednesday night, but he still improved to 6-0 with a 2.60 ERA in six starts against the Astros.

Bauer, backed by a resilient offense and a hardy bullpen, worked his way through six innings as Cleveland beat Houston 7-6 at Progressive Field.

Houston came into the game with the best record in the American League and they played like it. Every time the Indians threatened to pull away, the Astros came back.

Cleveland entered the eighth with a 7-4 lead thanks to a tworun double by Carlos Santana in the sixth, but Marwin Gonzalez made it a 7-6 game with a two-run double off Bryan Shaw. Cody Allen relieved with two out and the tying run on second base. He ended the inning by striking out Josh Reddick. Allen retired the Astros in order in the ninth for his fourth save.

"Man, they keep coming at you," Indians manager Terry Francona said of the Astros. "I think there are a lot of qualities about both teams that are similar. Fortunately, we answered a couple of times, because they weren't going to quit playing."

The Indians took a 3-0 lead in the first against Lance McCullers (2-1) as Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Ramirez drove in runs. Bauer ( 2- 2) protected the lead with three scoreless innings before Evan Gattis hit a 433-foot home run over the center- field fence to make it 3- 2.

Brantley's tworun single in the fifth pushed the lead to 5- 2. The Astros, however, were drawing a bead on Bauer. Brian McCann hit a first- pitch homer to center to make it 5- 4.

The Indians then came to Bauer's aid once again. After Jason Kipnis singled and Abraham Almonte walked against former Indian Tony Sipp, Santana brought them home with a double to right off Michael Felix for a 7- 4 lead.

Bauer allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

[TONY DEJAK/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] Jose Ramirez’s RBI double off Astros starter Lance McCullers helped the Indians take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.