HOUSTON -- When
**Bauer’s jump in fastball velocity**\n\nFor the first time this season, Bauer worked beyond the seventh, allowing just one run -- a homer by George Springer in the third -- on four hits with three strikeouts and six walks on 118 pitches. The 28-year-old had some of his best stuff, as his fastball averaged nearly a full mph faster (95.4) than it has since the start of last season (94.5), according to Statcast. And with the adrenaline pumping, the last two fastballs he threw clocked in at 97.1 and 97.6 mph, his fastest of the night.\n\n“I thought he competed his rear end off,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “As a lineup, they don’t go out of the zone. His stuff was -- I mean his last pitch I think was 97, 98, and he had six walks and three strikeouts with that stuff. Their lineup is good. They’re balanced, they’re deep and he competed like crazy.”\n\n“Yeah, in that situation, I mean, I think I was at 99 pitches going out for that inning,” Bauer said. “I just slapped myself in the face before it, yelled and threw everything I had. Emptied the tank. It was fun. I enjoy that stuff.”\n\n**Trading strikeouts for grounders**\n\nThrough each of his first five starts, Bauer recorded at least seven strikeouts, but he couldn’t take that same approach in Houston. Entering Thursday, the Astros' offense owned the third-best strikeout rate in the Majors, trailing the A’s and Angels. The righty fanned three batters in the series opener at Minute Maid Park, forcing nine ground-ball and five flyball outs.\n\n“Because he walked six, it probably kept him able to be in the game as long as he did,” Francona said of the groundouts. “But he held his stuff. I mean, when you’re facing those guys for the third or fourth time, that’s tough duty.”\n\nIt’s not common for a pitcher with six walks to stay in for eight full frames. The last three times a starting pitcher tossed eight innings, walked six and allowed one or fewer runs before Thursday, they did so in a no-hitter (2011: Francisco Liriano; '10: Edwin Jackson; '10: Ubaldo Jimenez).\n\n“Didn’t know what to anticipate,” Bauer said. “I know that they have really good analytics and they have good reports and good planning going in, so I knew I was going to have to mix up some sequences and do some things a little bit differently than I normally did. Thought it worked OK. They hit some balls hard right at people. ... They’re good hitters. Good approach. Good analytics. Tough lineup to face all around.”
**Bauer remains perfect vs. Astros**\n\nExperiencing success against Houston has been a common trend for Bauer in his eight-year career. He is one of just two active pitchers, along with Justin Verlander, who have made nine starts against the Astros and haven’t lost. The Tribe’s offense gave its starter limited run support, as