Gerrit Cole Dominates Indians to Give Astros 2-0 ALDS Lead; Alex Bregman Hits HR

The Houston Astros need one more win to sweep the Cleveland Indians out of the American League Division Series after their 3-1 victory in Game 2 on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.

For the second straight day, Houston got terrific starting pitching. Gerrit Cole held Cleveland's lineup to three hits, and he struck out 12 over seven innings. The lone run he gave up came on Francisco Lindor's solo homer in the third.

The Astros offense stayed quiet until the sixth inning when Marwin Gonzalez hit a two-run double off Andrew Miller to give the defending World Series champions their first lead of the day.

Roberto Osuna preserved the win with a four-out save that culminated in a Josh Donaldson flyout to center. 

Astros' Dominant Starting Pitching Makes Them World Series Favorites

It's not easy to follow Justin Verlander, yet Cole topped the 2011 American League MVP with his dazzling Game 2 effort. 

Facing a Cleveland lineup that had the fewest strikeouts in Major League Baseball during the regular season (1,189), Cole blew through it like he was taking on a group of Low-A hitters:

Gerrit Cole Retires 12 Batters in ALDS Game 2 vs. Indians

Per MLB.com's Jordan Bastian, Cole had more strikeouts through six innings than any starting pitcher had in a game against the AL Central champs all year:

Cole and Verlander have combined to punch out 19 Cleveland hitters over 12.1 innings. This is nothing new for the Astros. Houston's starting rotation led MLB with a 3.16 ERA and 10.37 strikeouts per nine innings. The staff—starters and relievers—set an MLB record with 1,687 regular-season strikeouts. 

In the year of the bullpen, Houston remains the safest bet to make it to the World Series thanks to old-fashioned dominance from the starting rotation that eases the pressure on a deep relief stable. 

Bregman Cements Himself as Household Name with ALDS Power Showcase

Cole will be the center of attention after Game 2, but Alex Bregman has further solidified his status as one of the game's best young hitters. 

Houston's All-Star third baseman sealed the win with a towering solo shot—his second in as many games—off Trevor Bauer in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-1 lead. 

Per The Athletic's Jake Kaplan, Bregman has made a habit of hitting playoff homers against the MLB's best pitchers:

Just 24 years old, Bregman was the first third baseman in MLB history to hit at least 50 doubles and 30 homers in a season this year.

Injuries derailed Carlos Correa's campaign. The 2015 AL Rookie of the Year set career lows in batting average (.239.), on-base percentage (.323), slugging percentage (.405) and homers (15). 

Houston's offense didn't skip a beat because Bregman became a superstar as the No. 3 hitter. 

Terry Francona's Bullpen Mismanagement Has Indians On Brink

There is plenty of blame to go around for Cleveland's failings, but manager Terry Francona is at the top of the list after Game 2. 

Specifically, Francona's bullpen management during the fateful sixth inning cost his team. 

Indians starter Carlos Carrasco cruised through five frames, scattering five hits without giving up a run. Jose Altuve hit an infield single to lead off the sixth, and Bregman followed with a walk. 

After Carrasco got Yuli Gurriel to line out to left field, Francona brought in Miller. The once-dominant reliever left a fastball over the plate that Gonzalez lined to right field. Melky Cabrera bobbled the ball, which allowed Altuve and Bregman to score. 

Miller then walked Correa on four pitches and threw a wild pitch before he intentionally walked Tyler White to load the bases. 

At the time Carrasco was pulled, he was at 77 pitches. Cleveland's biggest flaw has been a bullpen that ranked 25th in ERA (4.60) and 29th in opponent slugging percentage (.448). 

Miller only threw 34 innings all season because of injuries. He posted his highest ERA (4.24) since 2011 (5.54), which was his last year as a starter.

Cleveland acquired left-hander Brad Hand—a two-time All-Star with the San Diego Padres who was one of eight relievers in MLB with at least 100 strikeouts—in July. He didn't appear in the game until the eighth inning when the score was already 3-1. 

The Indians put Bauer in the bullpen specifically to use him in high-leverage spots for this series. The right-hander worked out of the bases-loaded jam after he relieved Miller, but the damage was already done. 

Now, Cleveland will have to regroup after an off day Sunday to keep its season alive. 

What's Next? 

The series will shift to Progressive Field for Game 3 on Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Indians' hopes will rest on Mike Clevinger (13-8, 3.02 ERA), and the Astros will counter with former AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 3.74 ERA).