How do you think Carlos Carrasco, Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor rate against Houston Dallas Keuchel, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - If comparisons are your thing, this could be a good series for you.

The Indians' four-game set against the AL West leading Astros matched 10-game winners Carlos Carrasco and Dallas Keuchel on Monday night in Game 1. Judging by the first inning, well, this comparison looks lopsided.

Carrasco, coming off his near no-hitter against Tampa Bay on June 24, allowed four runs on five hits in the first inning. Keuchel, selected as one the AL's All-Star pitchers, retired the Indians in order in the first.

The other two comparisons should have a longer shelf life.

Jason Kipnis and Jose Altuve are the AL's All-Star second basemen. Altuve won the fan voting with 9.6 million votes so he'll start on July 14 in Cincinnati. Kipnis, the Indians lone All-Star, has had the better first half, but finished third in fan voting behind Altuve and Kansas City's Omar Infante with 4.7 million votes. Infante received 8.9 million votes.

Kipnis entered the series hitting .341 (109-for-320) with 27 doubles, four triples, six homers and 35 RBI. He's scored 56 runs and stolen 10 bases in 15 attempts.

Manager Terry Francona moved Kipnis into the leadoff spot in late April and it changed his season. He leads all AL leadoff hitters with a .362 average.

Altuve, last year's AL batting champion, entered hitting .301 (92-for-306) with 15 doubles, seven hoers and 35 RBI. He leads the AL with 24 stolen bases in 31 attempts.

This is Altuve's third All-Star selection and second for Kipnis.

The other position to keep an eye on is shortstop. The Indians and Royals recently promoted two of the most talked about shortstop prospects in baseball - Francisco Lindor for the Indians and Carlos Correa for the Astros.

Lindor, 21, is hitting just .203 (15-for-74) with one homer and six RBI in 19 games. Lindor is hitting in the No.2 spot and has played solid defense.

Correa, 20, has played only 25 games, but already leads AL shortstop with seven homers. While Lindor was the eighth player taken in the first round of the 2011 draft, Correa was the first player selected in the 2012 draft.

The right-handed hitting Correa, batting third on Monday, is 6-4 and 210 pounds. He's hitting .315 (34-for-108) with nine doubles and nine RBI. He was recently named AL Rookie of the Month for June.

Confidence: Manager Terry Francona has been impressed with what the Astros have done since the Indians took two out of three against them to open the season in April.

"It goes to show that when you start playing good and you get confident, what can happen," said Francona. "A good start has turned into a half season and they look like a really good team."

Regarding Keuchel, who beat Corey Kluber and the Indians in the season opener on April 6, Francona said, "If you look at his numbers, they are just eye-popping. He's not going to break the radar gun, but his numbers are phenomenal.

"He's gone on runs in his career before, but not quite like this. I wouldn't consider this a run, he's having a season."

End of the line: Rookie third basemen Giovanny Urshela's 13-game winning streak ended Sunday in Pittsburgh. He hit .295 (13-for-44) with one homer and three RBI during the streak.

Urshela doubled in his first at-bat Monday night.

Fire down below: Strongsville and Kent State's Anthony Gallas and right-hander Josh Martin were named the Indians minor league players of the month for June.

Gallas, 27, hit .326 (30-for-92) with six doubles, one triple, five homers and 18 RBI in June for Class AA Akron. Gallas is hitting .265 (70-for-264) with 19 double, two triples, seven homers and 32 RBI.

Martin made nine appearances in June, posting a 1.42 ERA (two earned runs, 12 2/3 innings) at Akron. He struck out 12 and walked four.

Overall, Martinez is 5-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 25 appearances for Akron. He's struck out 44 and walked 13 with a 0.86 WHIP.

Outfielder Dorssys Paulino of Class A Lake County was named the Midwest League Player of the Week. Over the last seven games Paulino, 20, is hitting .440 with two homers and six RBI.

Finally: Sunday was officially the halfway point of the season for the Indians. They stood at 38-43 compared to 39-42 last year and 43-38 in 2013.

Free agent point guard Mo Williams is returning to Cleveland for a second tour of duty.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mo Williams was "very interested" in a return and he's officially back.

The 32-year-old veteran point guard has agreed to a two-year, $4.3 million deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source confirmed. He has a player option on the second year.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reported before the free-agency period began that Williams wanted to return to Northeast Ohio.

He played two seasons with the Cavaliers from 2008-10. Along with LeBron James, Williams helped the team compile a league-best 66-16 record in his first year with the franchise. He was voted an Eastern Conference All-Star that same year.

He continues to play at a high level. In 41 games with Minnesota this past season in a reserve role, Williams averaged 12.2 points, and in his 27 appearances for Charlotte, his scoring output shot up to 17.2.

Williams put up a 52-point game in January for the Timberwolves before being traded to the Charlotte for backcourt depth and assistance in making a playoff push.

The Indians are 15-24 at home after a loss to the Houston Astros on Monday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Preston Tucker went 4-for-5 with a homer and double and Dallas Keuchel authored another quality start as the Houston Astros defeated the Cleveland Indians, 9-4, Monday night at Progressive Field.

Here is a capsule look at the game. No DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast was necessary.

Stumbling: The Indians (38-44) have lost three in a row after winning five straight.

Nothing comfortable about it: The Tribe slipped to 15-24 at home.

Impressive: The Astros (49-36) finished with 16 hits, including two homers.

They have hit multiple homers in an MLB-best 36 games. They have notched at least one extra-base hit in 46 straight. 

So much for that: A potentially delicious pitching matchup between lefty Keuchel and Tribe right-hander Carlos Carrasco soured in a hurry. The Astros scored four in the first, which might as well have been 10 with Keuchel on the mound.

The Astros led, 4-0, after one; 5-2 after four and 8-3 after six.

Keuchel, perhaps bored, allowed an un-Keuchel-like three runs on nine hits in six innings. In his previous two starts, he combined for 17 shutout innings.

Keuchel still delivered a quality start against Cleveland, making him 14-of-18 this season. Overall, he is 11-3 with a 2.14 ERA. The first victory came April 6 against Cleveland in Houston (7 IP, 3 H). 

The decisive first: Carrasco was coming off a gem at Tampa Bay in which he held the Rays hitless for 8 2/3 innings. He settled for one hit and one run allowed in 8 2/3 of an 8-1 victory.

In Carrasco's previous start against the Astros, April 8 at Houston, he gave up three hits and struck out 10 in 6 1/3 scoreless.

The Astros were ready this time; Carrasco was fortunate "only'' to give up four in the first. Here is a batter-by-batter breakdown of the half-inning:

(R) Jose Altuve -- single to shortstop (1-2 slider).

Skinny: Altuve did what Altuve does, combining barrel awareness and speed to find a way to get on base.

(L) Preston Tucker -- single to left (1-2 fastball).

Skinny: Early in the AB, Tribe catcher Yan Gomes made a terrific throw to second to erase Altuve attempting to steal. ... Carrasco got ahead of Tucker, 0-2. In the 1-2 count, Gomes wanted something other than a fastball but Carrasco overruled him. The fastball tailed to the outer half and Tucker stayed on it. The ball tipped off diving third baseman Giovanny Urshela's glove.)

(R) Carlos Correa -- walk (3-2 off-speed low).

Skinny: Carrasco struggled to repeat his delivery.

(R) Evan Gattis -- RBI single to center (1-1 fastball over plate at knees).

Skinny: Carrasco made it too easy for the lumberjack Gattis, who settled for a line-drive single.

(L) Colby Rasmus -- RBI double to center (3-2 fastball outside corner at knees).

Skinny: Carrasco created a problem for himself by falling behind, then provided the long-armed Rasmus with swinging room.

(Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway visits mound.)

(R) Chris Carter -- sacrifice fly to right (1-1 slider).

Skinny: Carter sent Brandon Moss to the edge of the track.

(L) Marwin Gonzalez -- RBI single to right (3-2 fastball on inside corner at knees).

Skinny: Two pitches earlier, Gonzalez, who was subbing at third base for former Indian Luis Valbuena, popped a foul that Tribe left fielder Mike Aviles nearly caught while leaning into the seats. ... Moss's quick and efficient work to get the ball to the infield prevented another run.

(L) Jason Castro -- swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Three pitches: foul, looking, swinging.

Carrasco needed 39 pitches to get the three outs.

Unsatisfactory: Carrasco gave up a homer to Tucker in the fourth (2-2 splitter) that made it 5-2. 

Carrasco (10-7, 4.17 ERA) lasted just four innings. He gave up five runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out five. Nick Hagadone relieved to begin the fifth.

Carrasco's stuff didn't have its usual crispness, and he wasn't able to command the fastball to a level required against an offense that is dangerous.

Mo Williams is returning to Cleveland on a two-year, $4.3 million deal as a free agent.

(The Northeast Ohio Media Group's Chris Haynes contributed to this report).

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It was a Tweet instead of a Sports Illustrated bomb, but for the second consecutive July a free agent joined the Cavaliers to the words "I'm coming home."

Veteran point guard Mo Williams agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $4.3 million with the Cavs on Monday, returning to the franchise where he and LeBron James once dominated the NBA regular season together but fell short twice during the playoffs.

Williams, who can back up Kyrie Irving or start if Irving's knee is not fully recovered from surgery when the season begins in October, confirmed his return via Twitter.

He used James' words from the famous Sports Illustrated piece announcing his return to the Cavs last summer.

"I'm coming home!!!!! #cavsnation #cityilove #questforaring," Williams said.

I'm coming home!!!!! #cavsnation #cityilove #questforaring

-- Mo Williams (@mowilliams) July 7, 2015

Now, James and Williams will reunite to do what they could not in their last Cleveland go-around together: try to win an NBA crown. 

Well, technically the two are not yet again a pair. Players cannot sign new contracts until Thursday, and James has yet to start negotiations on his new deal with the Cavs.

Minor details.

Williams' agreement with the Cavs was first reported by Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. The Northeast Ohio Media Group confirmed the agreement, which includes a player option, and reported several days ago that both Williams and the Cavs were interested in a reunion.

The Cavs used part of their nearly $3.5 million taxpayer salary cap exemption to sign Williams and have $1.3 million remaining. Another player Cleveland was considering to sign with its taxpayer exemption, veteran big man David West, signed Monday with San Antonio instead.

Williams, 32, averaged 14.2 points and 6.2 assists for Minnesota and Charlotte last season. He shot 34 percent from three-point range and is a career 38 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Williams was part of Cleveland's back-to-back 60-win teams in 2008-09 and 09-10. The Cavs won 66 games in 2008-09 (when Williams made the East All-Star team) but lost in the conference finals to the Magic, and posted 61 wins the following season before falling to Boston in the conference semifinals.

James left for Miami following the 2009-10 season, and Williams was traded the following Februrary to the Clippers for Baron Davis and a first-round pick the Cavs used on Irving.

Williams averaged 16.2 points in nearly three seasons with Cleveland.

A source said James had no involvement in the Cavs' recruitment of Williams. As a free agent, James wants Cleveland to sign Tristan Thompson to a long-term contract before he will negotiate with the team. Thompson is represented by James' agent, Rich Paul.

Negotiations have stalled between Thompson and the Cavs, according to multiple sources, with no timeline for a deal.

Even with the Williams signing, the Cavs are likely to retain Matthew Dellavedova, a restricted free agent who started at point guard in the Finals because of Irving's broken knee cap.

Cleveland is also attempting to move Brendan Haywood's non-guaranteed, $10.5 million contract, and is considering whether or not to retain free agent J.R. Smith.

On July 1, Carlos Carrasco came within one strike of throwing a no-hitter. Five days later, he allowed four runs on five hits in the first inning in the Indians 9-4 loss to Houston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Whatever Carlos Carrasco had at Tropicana Field on the first night of July, he'd lost by the sixth night of the same month.

Gone without a trace. No forwarding address or DNA to track. His link to greatness was in the wind.

On July 1, Carrasco chased history. On Monday night, he was just another pitcher getting his ego and ERA bruised.

"They were hitting everything I threw," said Carrasco.

No kidding.

Carrasco allowed 10 hits and five runs in four innings in the Indians' 9-4 loss to the Astros at Progressive Field. Five of the hits and four of the runs came in the first inning.

"He just didn't have his best stuff," said manager Terry Francona. "There are going to be days when you don't feel at your best, but you got a find a way."

Carrasco (10-7, 4.17) was lucky he could find the mound Monday night. No way was he going to solve this riddle and find another way to handle the Astros.

How does that happen?

Carrasco was the best pitcher on the planet on July 1. He was one strike away from a no hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays. He had two out in the ninth inning and a 0-2 count on Joey Butler when he gave up a single just over the head of second baseman Jason Kipnis to lose it.

Bye bye history, but shouldn't there be some kind of carryover? Some kind of muscle memory magic to keep whatever was flowing through Carrasco's right arm that night for at least his next start?

He did throw a career-high 124 pitches. Maybe he was still arm weary Monday night.

No, said Francona, that wasn't the case.

"He threw a great bullpen/side day and he looked good warming up tonight," said Francona.

This was the pre-2014 Carrasco, the nibbler with the great arm. The Indians kept locking this version of Carrasco in the bullpen and throwing away the key.

"Because he felt he didn't have his best stuff, he went away form the things that make him good," said Francona. "He started throwing all two-seamers and tried to pick. They just had so many hits . . . and that was pretty much the whole night."

In the fourth, Carrasco gave up a homer to Preston Tucker to make it 5-2. Then he struck out rookie shortstop Carlos Correa with his best heat of the night. It was also the last batter he faced.

"After he gave up the homer, that's when we saw the velocity," said Francona. "So we knew it was there."

Why didn't Francona see it earlier in the game, who knows?

It's what happens when a pitcher comes within one strike of throwing a no-hitter one night and allowing five runs on 10 hits and one walk in four innings in his next start.

"That's just baseball . . .you never know," said Carrasco. "Today you can have a nice start and the next time out you can have what happened tonight where you give up five or six runs."

Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros proved too much for the Indians on Monday night at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians are stuck in baseball's limbo. They aren't a first-place team and they aren't a contender. They're simply occupying space, covered in MLB's gray mist of mediocrity.

Over the weekend, the Pirates showed them how a contender plays by taking two out of three games from them at PNC Park. Monday night, Houston showed them how wide the gap is between first place in the AL West and fourth place in the AL Central.

The Astros, scoring whenever they fancied, spanked Carlos Carrasco and the Indians on the way to a 9-4 victory in front of a quiet crowd at Progressive Field.

In a matchup of 10-game winners, Carrasco failed to get past the fourth inning. Carrasco (10-7, 4.17) came within one strike of throwing a no-hitter in his last start. Monday night he allowed five hits and four runs in the first inning alone.

Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel (11-3, 2.14, officially named to the All-Star game just after the start of Monday's game, went six innings to win for the fourth time in his last five starts.

The Astros ended the game in the first as they sent eight men to the plate. The first five Astros reached base and until Colby Rasmus hit a sacrifice fly, the only out recorded was when catcher Yan Gomes threw out Jose Altuve on an attempted steal of second.

Carrasco allowed 10 hits in his four innings of work. He threw 84 pitches, 55 for strikes.

Perhaps he hadn't recovered from throwing a career-high 124 pitches in his near no-hitter against the Rays. Whatever the reason, he didn't look like the same pitcher.

The Astros, who put the game away with three runs in the sixth, out-hit the Indians, 16-10.

What this means

The Indians somehow scratched out a 5-5 record on their last trip through Baltimore St. Petersburg, Fla., and Pittsburgh. But they looked like a road-weary team Monday night.

They offered little, if any, resistance against Keuchel and the Astros. They are 15-24 at Progressive Field. The 15 wins match Texas for the fewest home wins in the AL.

The Astros (49-36) ended a two-game losing streak. They have won six of their last eight games. 

The streak lives

Jason Kipnis, officially named to the AL All-Star team Monday night, extended his Progressive Field hitting streak to 29 straight games. It's the longest streak by a player in the ballpark's history.

The streak began on May 1.

Revenge is a dish best served cold

When the Indians and Astros opened the season in April, Evan Gattis went 0-for-11. His last eight outs came on strikeouts.

Gattis, in his first at-bat Monday night, singled through the middle go give Houston its first run. He added another hit before his night was done.

Thanks for coming

The Astros and Indians drew 13,516 fans to Progressive Field on Monday night. Attendance for the year is 672,655.

What's next?

RHP Corey Kluber (3-9, 3.64) will face Houston RHP Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 4.21) Tuesday night at 7: 10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

Kluber is coming off an eight-inning, 14-strikeout no-decision against Tampa Bay. He lost to the Astros, 2-0, on opening day after no-hitting thems for 5 2/3 innings. The loss set Kluber's long season of non-support in motion.

Velasquez has started his big-league career with five straight no-decisions. He struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings against the Royals in his last start.

After staying quiet for a few days, the Cleveland Cavaliers added another player to their 2015 free agency class: Mo Williams.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After staying quiet for a few days, the Cleveland Cavaliers added another player to their 2015 free agency class: Mo Williams.

The point guard who played with LeBron James during James' first go-around in Cleveland agreed to a deal late Monday night and even sent out a tweet showing his excitement.

I'm coming home!!!!! #cavsnation #cityilove #questforaring

-- Mo Williams (@mowilliams) July 7, 2015

What will Day Seven bring? Will Tristan Thompson finally come to an agreement? Will the Cavs find their taker for Brendan Haywood's contract? Will the rumors of Jamal Crawford come to fruition?

Follow along as we keep track of any early signings and rumors. We'll also keep track of other developing NBA news.

5:12 p.m.: Alan Anderson stays in Brooklyn.

Wizards near agreement with Nets free agent swingman Alan Anderson, per source.

— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 7, 2015

2:46 p.m.: David Lee going to Boston.

ESPN sources say that the Boston Celtics have agreed to trade for David Lee

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2015

Stein later tweeted that Gerald Wallace was going to Golden State as part of the deal.

4:09 p.m.: Jason Smith is going from New York to Orlando.

Free agent Jason Smith has agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with Orlando, league source tells @clevelanddotcom.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 7, 2015

2:12 p.m.: Marc Stein with a couple pieces of news:

Charlie Villanueva and the Dallas Mavericks have come to terms on a new deal that will be formally signed this week

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2015

ESPN sources say Aaron Brooks has struck a one-year deal to return to the Chicago Bulls

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 7, 2015

1:31 p.m.: The cap-strapped Clippers will have to look for cheap players, especially as they attempt to replace DeAndre Jordan, who left for Dallas. Perhaps Josh Smith, a former NBA All-Defensive Team member qualifies?

The Clippers have spoken to the reps of free agent forward Josh Smith, per sources. Mutual interest.

-- Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 7, 2015

12:17 p.m.: ESPN's Chris Broussard just did a hit on Sportscenter talking Cavs free agency thus far.

Broussard, who said the Cavs and Nets haven't talked in at least three days about a deal for Joe Johnson, revealed a name to watch if Cleveland is willing to move Anderson Varejao. It's Amare Stoudemire, who played for Dallas and New York this past season and averaged 11.5 points.

As for Thompson, Broussard reports that a deal could get done at any time, but the Cavs and Thompson are still off financially and it could take "a while to come to an agreement."

11:10 a.m.: The Cavs' interest in Crawford makes sense. General manager David Griffin has mentioned the need for another playmaker since the Cavs' loss in the NBA Finals against Golden State. While many have denied Crawford being available, CBS Sports explores what the Los Angeles thinking may be.

For the Clippers with their acquisition of Lance Stephenson, Crawford has become expendable. If they do complete this trade, expect the Clippers to waive Brendan Haywood, which will give them cap space to pursue another center like JaVale McGee. The Clippers have already expressed interest in mcGee, especially since DeAndre Jordan left in free agency.

10:55 a.m.: While a number of teams are being aggressive, spending money to improve, other teams are just sitting on the sidelines. Only three teams have yet to take part in free agency.

By my count, KG back to MIN leaves 3 teams who haven't reached an agreement w/ any players on a new contract: Charlotte, Denver & Philly.

-- John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) July 7, 2015

The Hornets & Sixers have added players via trade. The Nuggets are just chillin'.

-- John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) July 7, 2015

10:48 a.m.: The Memphis Grizzlies seem to be focusing on retaining their own players. On Monday, Marc Gasol agreed to a max contract. Beno Udrih is another player that will be staying with the Grizzlies. He shared his own news.

Really happy to be back with the #GrizzNation next year! Looking for even better year!! @memgrizz #MemphisVsErrbody #GreaterMemphis #901

-- Beno Udrih (@BenoUdrih1) July 7, 2015

10:45 a.m.: The Spurs received some good news yesterday when Manu Ginobili decided to hold off on retirement at least one more season. Today, Real GM, is reporting the terms of his contract are also favorable for San Antonio.

Manu Ginobili has returned to the San Antonio Spurs on a two-year, $5.7 million deal, with a player option, league sources tell RealGM.

-- Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 7, 2015

10:34 a.m.: Phoenix swung for the fences, but missed. After being edged out by San Antonio in the LaMarcus Aldridge sweepstakes, the Suns are exploring other deals via trade, according to the Huffington Post.

Also hearing Suns may be pursuing Ryan Anderson, among other 4s. Anderson is a premier stretch 4 and still just 27 years old. Good passer 2.

-- Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 6, 2015

10:15 a.m.: Minnesota's Kevin Garnett had been weighing his options, but the future Hall-of-Famer will return for his 21st NBA season, according to Darren Wolfson from KSTP in Minneapolis.

Quote from KG sent to me: "I'm incredibly excited and rejuvenated to be a part of this talented, committed team." #twolves

-- Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 7, 2015

9:29 a.m.: There's still no agreement between the Cavs and Thompson, a restricted free agent. While there aren't many that believe Thompson will go anywhere, our Chris Haynes has more on what could be holding up discussions.

"Talks have stalled. Conversation has been frequent, but very little of substance is being communicated. Rival executives believe Thompson's agent Rich Paul is pursuing a similar deal to Draymond Green who inked a five-year, $85 million pact.

The probability of sides failing to agree on terms is minimal. Each party understands the importance of making this work. Despite how the events are playing out, I'm told Cleveland covets Thompson to the fullest."

9:25 a.m.: With Williams in the mix, the Cavaliers have added a backup point guard and an explosive scorer for their inconsistent bench, according to our Chris Haynes.

"He couldn't have returned at a better time. His addition will provide ball-handling assistance in the backcourt that will relieve LeBron James and Kyrie Irving from the bulk of the playmaking responsibilities. He's clearly an upgrade over Matthew Dellavedova. Of all the candidates on the market to fill Cleveland's need for a backup floor general, Williams was the obvious choice."

Talk all things Cleveland sports in a live chat today at 11:30.

View full sizeTerry Pluto talks Cleveland sports at 11:30 a.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 11:30 a.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Terry will talk about the Cavaliers offseason, the Browns as training camp approaches and the Indians.

You can jump in the comments section below and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Pluto's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

The sixth day of NBA free agency was going by slowly. But then morning turned into afternoon and the rumors and signings picked up.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The sixth day of NBA free agency was going by slowly. But then morning turned into afternoon and the rumors and signings picked up. 

The San Antonio Spurs added to their off-season haul and the Cavs were active in discussions as well, before agreeing to a deal with Mo Williams. 

Here's a recap of what happened Monday in free agency:

Cavs miss out on David West: Cleveland, Golden State, Washington and San Antonio. Those were the four teams West considered joining. All playoff contenders, with each offering something different. He chose San Antonio and an opportunity to be one of the most important bench players on a championship contending team and he did it for little money. West rebuffed richer offers and took the veteran's minimum from San Antonio.

It's been a great summer for the Spurs. Adding LaMarcus Aldridge while retaining Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard would've been enough to make them the likely favorite to emerge from the brutal Western Conference. West's addition and rebuilding the bench can't be overlooked, and has captured the attention of Grantland's Zach Lowe.

"The Spurs? They always win," he writes. "It's too early to declare them undisputed favorites, especially since the reloading Cavs have a much easier path to the Finals. The Thunder could earn their way back into this stratosphere fast. The defending champs are young, and the Spurs are leaning on at least five key players over 30. But the Spurs have a chance to be devastating."

Mo comes home: With West off the board, the Cavs moved on to another target. In search of a backup point guard since January, Cleveland came to an agreement with Williams, an All-Star in Cleveland during LeBron James' first tenure.

SI.com has been handing out grades for every free agency deal, with the Cavs receiving a "B" for this one.

"Should Kyrie Irving again miss time to injury, the Cavs' offense will be better prepared to cope thanks to Williams," the site writes. "Even teams with multiple stars can benefit from shot-creating role players. Williams is effective in that regard so long as is he isn't left entirely to his own devices; the run of Mo Williams, Starter tends to play out very differently than that of Mo Williams, Reserve. LeBron James and Kevin Love are a perfect counterbalance--versatile forwards who will allow Williams to contribute plenty without overstepping.

"That's a nice luxury to have. Even when spelling Irving for mere minutes at a time, Williams gives the Cavs a more commanding offensive player at the point than they would otherwise have in Dellavedova. Williams' defense is another matter entirely, though Cleveland has likely solidified enough on that end by this point to account for most of Williams' deficiencies." 

Cavs interested in Jamal Crawford? The Cavs have been exploring deals, hoping to use Brendan Haywood's cap-friendly contract. Numerous reports have them targeting wing players, with Crawford, the explosive sixth man from Los Angeles, high on the list.

Our Chris Haynes chatted with Crawford about his off-season.

"I'm 100 percent healthy, motivated and ready for next year," Crawford told Haynes. "I believe I have a big year in store. I'm just excited and ready for next season."

According to Haynes, the Cavs aren't the only team interested in the 35-year-old swingman who averaged 15.8 points this past season. 

"The Miami Heat also reached out to Clippers management to gauge what it would take to pry Crawford away, a league source informed NEOMG. His services are being courted to South Beach for scoring assistance and insurance in the event Dwyane Wade misses a game or two." 

Champs keep Barbosa: According to ESPN.com, the Warriors and Barbosa agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal on Monday. 

"I'm just very happy to renew my contract and be able to stay with the Warriors family, stay in the Bay, where I already consider my home," Barbosa wrote in a message, according to Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group. "That's what I wanted the most. I just follow my heart. What we had accomplished is very special, the most important title of my career."

Grizzlies lock up Gasol: Going back to Memphis was a formality. Marc Gasol, who was in Spain during the free agency period, wasn't even accepting face-to-face meetings with other teams.

The real questions centered on the years and money. According to reports, Gasol will get a five-year deal worth an estimated $110 million, a final number that will be determined when the league's salary cap is finally set. 

Will Johnny Manziel give Josh McCown a run for his money in camp? Can Terrelle Pryor cut it at wide receiver?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Will the Browns finish with a winning record this season? Contend for the playoffs? Or will it prove to be another disappointing wait-until-next-year campaign?

Will Terrelle Pryor be able to cut it as a receiver? Will the Browns consider keeping him as the third quarterback if he demonstrates some ability to catch the ball and contribute on special teams?

Training camp will open on July 30 at the Browns facility in Berea with 11 free practices. With camp poised to move to Columbus next summer, it could be the last chance for fans to attend camp in Berea for the foreseeable future. How do you feel about the camp moving?

And when you come to camp, what do you see as the major battles? Johnny Manziel isn't really supposed to press Josh McCown for the starting job, but will he surprise everyone? Or will the hard-working Connor Shaw climb over Manziel into the No. 2 spot?

We'll discuss these and other topics in a Browns comments chat below from noon to about 12:45. Tom Reed is on vacation and won't be able to join us this week, but he'll be back soon.  

Mo Williams and LeBron James played well together and won together -- a lot -- in their two years together with the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the early morning hours of July 9, 2010, Mo Williams was angry, hurt and perplexed. His running mate for two years, LeBron James, had just announced he was taking his talents to South Beach and Williams took to Twitter to vent.

The only thing, and I mean the only thing I disagree with is.... If he knew somewhere else was the destination. He should have spared cle

— Mo Williams (@mowilliams) July 9, 2010

Love u bron and always will. I knowu made your decision for the rt reason but we could have got it done here and u would have enjoyed

— Mo Williams (@mowilliams) July 9, 2010

Flash forward to five years later, LeBron James is back in Cleveland. The Cavaliers, fresh off an NBA Finals appearance, are the odds-on favorite to the win it all in 2016. And Mo Williams is back too.

I'm coming home!!!!! #cavsnation #cityilove #questforaring

— Mo Williams (@mowilliams) July 7, 2015

Williams said a few months after "The Decision" he actually considered retirement after James' departure. Now, the two will be reunited after Williams officially signs the two-year, $4.3 million deal agreed upon Monday and, of course, James signs his new deal with the Cavs.

Both Williams and James should be happy about a reunion. They played well together and won together -- a lot -- in their two seasons with the Cavaliers. James has carved a career out of making his teammates around him better and that certainly was the case with Williams.

The Cavaliers enjoyed two 60-plus-win seasons with James at the three and Williams running the point, winning a staggering 77 percent (127-37) of their games. Williams was responsible for 9.8 win shares his first season here, 6.7 the second.

In 2008-09, the Cavs outscored their opponents by a whopping 11.3 points per 100 possessions with Williams on the floor. By contrast, the Cavaliers were outscored by an alarming 13.8 points when Williams played without LeBron after he left in 2010-11.

As teammates, Williams helped James shoulder the load both in scoring and assists. Williams' 16.9 points per game is fourth highest among the 117 names who've played with James over his 12-year career, ranking only behind Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving and Chris Bosh. Williams' 4.6 assists is third best among those who played at least 41 games with James, behind Jeff McInnis, Irving and Wade.

Statistically, Williams enjoyed the best season of his career with the Cavaliers in 2008-2009, scoring 17.8 points a game, shooting 44 percent from three-point range and with a player efficiency rating of 17.2 -- all figures career highs.

Mo Williams - PER Throughout Career | PointAfter

Yes, as the backup to Irving, Williams will be hard pressed to match any of the numbers he put up in his first stint in Cleveland. Still, that doesn't mean he can't be that Mo Williams we all remember.

Williams is 32 and entering his 13th season, but this isn't a Shawn Marion or Mike Miller situation. He proved that by dropping 52 points against the Pacers in January on 19-of-33 shooting, including six threes. His scoring actually went up to 17.2 points after a trade to Charlotte in February. Williams' 15.4 player efficiency rating this past season was above his career average and his teams were better with him on the court across all categories.

Mo Williams - On/Off Stats (Team) | PointAfter

If there's one concerning stat from last season that pops out, it's his 39.7 shooting percentage, though he did take 348 threes-- third most of his career.

Still, the stats show Williams has plenty left in the tank. It's only matter of time before we hear Austin Carr exclaim once again, "Eeny, meeny, miny, Mo Williams from deep in The Q!"

Mo Williams Average Points, Rebounds and Assists | PointAfter

Charts provided by PointAfter.

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto talks all things Cleveland sports in his weekly podcast.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What does Terry think of Mo Williams' return? Can the Indians find some consistency soon?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in our weekly podcast. Among other topics discussed:

* Will J.R. Smith be back?

* Which non-quarterback position battles are most intriguing once Browns training camp opens?

* What's wrong with Carlos Santana?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Follow @dan_labbe

The Cleveland Cavaliers' 13-man roster is set for Summer League this weekend.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday announced their 13-man roster for NBA Summer League 2015 competition in Las Vegas on the campus of UNLV, starting this upcoming weekend.

Last year's rookie off-guard Joe Harris and two of the Cavs' 2015 second-round draft picks -- forwards Rakeem Christmas and Sir'Dominic Pointer -- will highlight the squad.

Jerelle Benimon (Idaho Stampede), Quinn Cook (Duke), Eric Griffin (Texas Legends), Tyler Haws (BYU), Trevor Lacey (North Carolina State) D.J. Seeley (Delaware 87ers), John Shurna (Turkey), Keifer Sykes (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Talib Zanna (Oklahoma City Blue) and D.J. White (China) round out the roster.

Cleveland's first game will be against the Golden State Warriors on Friday; followed by the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday; and the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

Then teams are placed into brackets according to their seeding for the tournament portion of the league beginning July 15. Each team is guaranteed to play at least five games.

Cedi Osman, the team's 31^st pick in the Turkish League, will play a few seasons overseas before coming over.

Cavaliers assistant coach Bret Brielmaier will serve as the head coach. His assistants will be James Posey, Damon Jones, Vitaly Potapenko, Steve Gansey and Mike Gerrity.

Carlos Santana has been dropped to seventh in the lineup.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Tuesday's meeting between the Indians and the Astros.

Pitching matchup: Corey Kluber (3-9, 3.64 ERA) vs. Vincent Velazquez (0-0, 4.21 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. 2B Jason Kipnis

2. SS Francisco Lindor

3. DH Michael Brantley

4. LF David Murphy

5. C Yan Gomes

6. RF Brandon Moss

7. 1B Carlos Santana

8. 3B Giovanny Urshela

9. CF Michael Bourn

Astros

1. 2B Jose Altuve

2. RF Preston Tucker

3. SS Carlos Correa

4. DH Evan Gattis

5. CF Colby Rasmus

6. C Hank Conger

7. 3B Marwin Gonzalez

8. 1B Jon Singleton

9. LF Alex Presley

Two prominent Buckeyes are switching jersey numbers while the roster got to the number of scholarship players required.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With the Buckeyes passing out jersey numbers, let's talk roster numbers.

First, those jersey moves.

Sam Hubbard finally settled on a position and now he has a new number. Hubbard moved around as a linebacker and tight end while redshirting last season before settling in as a defensive end late in the year. He also started out listed at No. 88 before moving to No. 49.

Now he's No. 6.

Hubbard was one of two Buckeyes of note to switch numbers from last year as the Ohio State website recently updated its roster for the 2015 season.

Gareon Conley, in the lead to start at cornerback opposite Eli Apple, is the other Buckeye of note with a new number. He's No. 8 after previously wearing No. 19. 

The numbers of incoming Ohio State freshmen have been known for a while, but if you haven't caught them, check below for the 25 newest Buckeyes.

A quick note on that. There was a report that longsnapper Liam McCullough would grayshirt this season, meaning though he signed in February, he wouldn't be on the roster this fall and would not count against the Buckeye scholarship numbers. It's a common practice in college football (former OSU quarterback Todd Boeckman did it), and the grayshirt possibility has existed for McCullough for months. So this wouldn't be a surprise, or a surprise to him.

When grayshirts become a problem is when they are sprung on players at the last minute by programs who are over the 85-scholarship limit heading into a season.

As we have monitored the Buckeyes' scholarship numbers since National Signing Day, sources have mentioned a McCullough grayshirt as part of the ongoing OSU plan to stay at 85 or under. But when we asked recently if the grayshirt could be reported as fact, a source said no.

Mirko Jurkovic Jr., who signed with the Buckeyes in February, was the other player that Ohio State knew for months wouldn't be joining this class because of academic issues. He didn't report with the other freshmen in June and announced this week that he was enrolling at Georgia.

pic.twitter.com/21zkEwZ0dm

-- Mirko Jurkovic Jr (@mirko_jurko64) July 6, 2015

And there has been other roster movement. Offensive lineman Marcelys Jones left the Buckeyes. 

That means the Buckeyes are currently at 85 scholarship players, and that's counting McCullough. Ohio State has a senior longsnapper in Bryce Haynes, so the Buckeyes don't need McCullough yet. If he did grayshirt, and save a year of eligibility, it might open the chance for the Buckeyes to award a scholarship to a walk-on.

But at this point, it wouldn't be a necessity. The Buckeyes are at their 85.

Roster numbers for the 2015 true freshmen

4 Jerome Baker LB

6 Torrance Gibson QB

9 Jashon Cornell DL

10 Joe Burrow QB

12 Denzel Ward DB

14 K.J. Hill WR

14 Joshua Norwood DB

17 Damon Arnette DB

19 Eric Glover-Williams DB

20 Mike Weber RB

24 Rashod Berry TE

34 Nick Conner LB

47 Justin Hilliard LB

49 Liam McCullough LS

53 Davon Hamilton DL

56 Matthew Burrell OL

57 Robert Landers DL

58 Joshua Alabi DL

59 Isaiah Prince OL

67 Grant Schmidt OL

76 Branden Bowen OL

77 Kevin Feder OL

86 Dre'Mont Jones DL

87 Alex Stump WR

88 A.J. Alexander TE

Cavaliers fans should be welcoming Mo Williams back to the team. And those bad memories of Williams' play in the playoffs for the Cavs? Stats do tell a slightly different story.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavs wisely signed Mo Williams to a bargain basement deal, and I've been surprised by the reaction from some fans.

"Living in the past. He can join (Anderson) Varejao as two really good guys who don't contribute much on the floor," Mike Nowak wrote on my Facebook page.

Williams averaged 14.2 points last season, shooting 40 percent from the field. He passed for 6.2 assists per game.

That production would not have helped the Cavs this season? Ask yourself, "If Kyrie Irving is hurt, would I rather start Matthew Dellavedova or Mo Williams?"

Or how about this? "With Irving coming off a fractured kneecap, does Williams add depth at point guard?" The answer is obvious. I'd rather have Williams and Dellavedova than just Good Old Delly.

The Cavs signed the 32-year-old Williams to a 2-year, $4.3-million contract. It's slightly above the NBA minimum wage for a veteran. He has a player option for 2016-17. Williams has limitations, especially on defense. But we're talking about filling a need. That need is an experienced point guard who can score to back up Irving. Williams really does fit that description.

ABOUT THE OLD DAYS

Lee Long posted on my Facebook page: "Until the playoffs, when Mo disappeared. That's what I remember the most."

The Cavs were 66-16 with Mo Williams heading into the 2009 playoffs. The starting lineup on that team: LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, Ben Wallace and Williams. Key substitutes were Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson and Wally Szczerbiak.

The problem for Williams was the Cavs' lack of talent. He was the No. 2 scoring option after James. That was too much to ask of Williams.

The Cavs swept through the first two rounds of the 2009 playoffs. They lost in six games to Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals. How did Williams play against Orlando? He averaged 18.3 points. His shooting percentage was low (.371). In the Game 6 elimination loss, Williams was 6-of-12 shooting for 17 points with 5 assists.

He actually was solid in the 2009 postseason, averaging 16.3 points.

THE BITTER END

Where Williams had problems was the Boston series in 2010. He averaged only 13.3 points and shot .409 from the field. In the humiliating 120-88 Game 5 loss at home to Boston, Williams scored only nine points. That was the game where James shot 3-of-14 for 15 points.

The Cavs were eliminated in Game 6 in Boston, 94-85. How did Williams play? It was his best game of the series, scoring 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting.

My point is that Williams wasn't as bad in the playoffs as most of us recall. Our memories are shaded with disappointment of two good teams that failed to reach The Finals. Then the sledgehammer was delivered when James left for Miami in the summer of 2010.

THE TRADE, THE COMEBACK

Former General Manager Chris Grant deserved the Executive of the Year Award for 2011 when he traded Jamario Moon and Williams to the Clippers for Baron Davis and the Clippers' unprotected first-round pick. Owner Dan Gilbert paid about $20 million in that deal in terms of picking up the outrageous contract of Davis. It's why Grant was able to secure the unprotected draft pick.

When the ping pong balls popped in 2011, the No. 1 pick belonged to the Cavs. But it originally was the Clippers' pick. And that pick became Irving.

"What's not to like?" beamed Nick (son of Dan) Gilbert on lottery night.

So true!

Since leaving the Cavs, Williams has played for the Clippers, Utah, Portland, Minnesota and Charlotte over the last five seasons, averaging 13 points. Odds are his stop in Cleveland may only last one season. But odds are, he can still be a productive player. That's especially true on a team where he is not one of the main scoring options.

Dellavedova is a restricted free agent. He is expected to be back. But if some team gives him a ridiculous offer sheet, signing Williams gives the Cavs the option of not matching it.

Here's the bottom line: Williams as a backup on a cheap contract in a deal where the Cavs didn't have to trade a player or draft choice?

It's a good move for General Manager David Griffin, one that has immediately made the Cavs a better team.

Get live updates and chat with Indians beat writers Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes as the Indians and Astros continue their four-game set at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND -- Get live updates and chat with Indians beat writers Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes as the Indians and Astros continue their four-game set at Progressive Field.

Game 83: Indians (38-44) vs. Astros (49-36)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field.

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7; WTAM 1100.

Corey Kluber is scheduled to make his 18th start of the season for the Indians on Tuesday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The start of Tuesday's game between the Indians and Astros at Progressive Field has been tentatively set for 7:20 p.m. The delay is due to rain.

Right-hander Corey Kluber is scheduled to face Houston right-hander Vincent Velasquez. Kluber is looking for his first win since May 28. He's 0-4 in his last six starts with a 3.86 ERA.

The Indians entered the game trying to break a three-game losing streak. The Astros have won six of their last eight games.

The original start time was 7:10 p.m.

Tarp off at Progressive Field. But reportedly another line of showers coming. Tarp could be put back on field. pic.twitter.com/JYsx2kC6Ry

-- paul hoynes (@hoynsie) July 7, 2015

Houston's Luis Valbuena hit 16 homers for the Cubs last year, but that took him 478 at-bats. This year he's hit 19 homers for the Astros in 276 at-bats.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - How in the world has Luis Valbuena hit 19 home runs before the All-Star break?

No, this is not a gag question from a parody Twitter account. It's not a question asked in dream by a disgruntled fan who watched Valbuena play for the Indians from 2009-11.

This is the truth. Valbuena, Houston's third baseman, ranks seventh in the AL with 19 homers. He's missed the first two games of this four-game series against the Indians with a sprained left big toe.

Before this season, Valbuena never hit more than 16 homers in a season. That was last year with the Cubs, but he needed 478 at-bats to do it. He's hit 19 this year in 276 at-bats.

The Indians acquired Valbuena and Joe Smith at the winter meetings in 2008 in a three-team deal with the Mets and Seattle. Valbuena came from the Mariners, Smith from the Mets.

Valbuena gave an indication of what was to come by hitting 10 homers in 368 at-bats for the Tribe in 2009. But that wasn't enough to earn him regular work over the next two years. After the 2011 season, the Indians sold him to Toronto.

He resurfaced with the Cubs in 2012 and was traded to Houston in January.

"I worked out a lot this off-season," said Valbuena, 29. "I did a lot of work on my body. I think you're seeing that this year."

The left-handed hitting Valbuena is averaging a homer for every 14.5 at-bats. It's the fifth-best rate in the AL behind Albert Pujols 11.9, J.D. Martinez 12.8, Mark Teixeira 13.2 and Mike Trout 14.3.

"I knew I had a little bit of power, but I don't try to hit home runs," said Valbuena. "I try to make good contact in every at-bat. When I do, the ball goes out and I'm happy about that.

"So far it's good for me. It's the first time I've hit 19 home runs in my career."

Valbuena has helped make the Astros one of baseball's biggest surprises this year. They entered Tuesday night's game with 49 victories, the most in the AL and the second most in the big leagues. Houston has been in first place in the AL West since April 19.

"I love this team," said Valbuena. "We have a lot of young guys. It's like a family. There's good communication. Everybody is happy and playing well."

The one thing Valbuena hasn't done is hit for average. He's batting .203 (56-for-276) with 18 doubles and 36 RBI. He's struck out 70 times and walked 29 for a .286 on-base percentage.

Former Indians Tony Sipp and Roberto Hernandez are playing for the Astros as well.

Testing, testing: Josh Tomlin (right shoulder) is scheduled to make his second rehab start Friday at Class AA Akron. He pitched two innings Sunday for the Tribe's Arizona Rookie League club in Goodyear. Tomlin allowed two runs on three hits.

"It went good," said Tomlin. "The fastball and cutter were where I wanted it. It was the same with the change up and curveball. I didn't walk anybody, threw strikes and felt better in the second inning than I did in the first.

"That was the main thing. I wanted to get those two innings in and see how I recovered."

Tomlin said he's scheduled to pitch three or four innings Friday for Akron.

Down, down, down: Manager Terry Francona dropped struggling Carlos Santana to the seventh spot in the lineup Tuesday night. It's the first time this season he's batted that low.

Santana is hitting .207 (55-for-266) with 13 doubles, nine homers and 36 RBI. He's homerless from the right side of the plate in 101 at-bats.

"It looks like Gomer (Yan Gomes) is trying to get hot and Carlos has really had a tough time," said Francona. "Personally, I kind of liked him in the No.2 hole. He wasn't comfortable there.

"At sometime that switch-hitting power bat in the middle of the lineup is going to help us. But when you're struggling so much, it's kind of glaring. We're just trying to take advantage of Gomer getting hot and still have some balance."

Santana, who has a one minor-league option left, entered Tuesday night's game hitting .158 (16-for-101) with a .571 OPS in his last 29 games. He's hitting .181 (15-for-83) with runners in scoring position.

Finally: The start of Tuesday's game was delayed 11 minutes by rain.

Michael Brantley went 3-for-4 with a homer as the Indians defeated the Astros, 2-0, Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Corey Kluber allowed five hits in 6 2/3 innings and Michael Brantley went 3-for-4 with a homer and two runs as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Houston Astros, 2-0, Tuesday night at Progressive Field. Tribe second baseman Jason Kipnis went 0-for-3 with a walk, ending his home hitting streak at 29 games.

Here is a capsule look at the proceedings:

Much-needed: The Indians (39-44) snapped a three-game skid.

They improved to 16-24 at home and 5-13 in games started by Kluber.

Smoothly done: Brantley, who had been 3-for-23 with three singles in six July games, homered for the first time since May 14.

Murph's up: David Murphy, batting cleanup and playing left field, went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and walk.

With two outs and Brantley on first in the first inning, Murphy lined righty Vincent Velasquez's 1-1 pitch over right fielder Preston Tucker's head. Brantley scored easily.

The Astros like to have their outfielders play shallow; it burned them in this case.

Klubot locked in: Kluber gave up five singles, walked two and struck out seven. He threw 80 of 119 pitches for strikes.

Kluber (4-9, 3.45 ERA) relied on a fastball/cutter/breaking pitch combination. He mixed in changeups. He and catcher Yan Gomes handled a dangerous offense because they were committed to working inside. The Astros, forced to respect the inner half, were not as aggressive/effective on the outer half.

Kluber benefitted from outstanding defense by center fielder Michael Bourn and shortstop Francisco Lindor in the sixth.

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Kluber's start:

FIRST INNING

(R) Jose Altuve -- 92 fastball up and in; 92 fastball outside; 92 fastball swinging strike; 93 fastball, pop to third (inside).

(L) Preston Tucker -- 93 fastball outside; 93 fastball called strike; 93 fastball foul; 83 breaking pitch, single to center.

(R) Carlos Correa -- 88 cutter foul; 93 fastball called strike (inner third); 94 fastball low; 90 cutter outside; 94 fastball, pop to second (inside).

(R) Evan Gattis -- 91 cutter called strike; 94 fastball called strike (outer third); 93 fastball foul; 84 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout (down and away).

(17 pitches)

SECOND INNING

(L) Colby Rasmus -- 92 fastball foul; 88 cutter foul; 93 fastball high; 93 fastball foul; 83 breaking pitch, fly to right.

(L) Hank Conger -- 92 fastball outside; 87 breaking pitch foul; 89 cutter foul; 93 fastball outside; 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 83 breaking pitch, called strikeout (nasty).

(L) Marwin Gonzalez -- 93 fastball called strike; 85 changeup outside; 93 fastball foul (barely foul near RFL); 90 cutter foul; 94 fastball foul; 84 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout (down and in).

(18 pitches)

THIRD INNING

(L) Jon Singleton -- 92 fastball high; 93 fastball foul; 88 cutter foul; 94 fastball, fly to left (outside; track).

(L) Alex Presley -- 92 fastball outside; 86 changeup swinging strike; 93 fastball, grounder to second.

(R) Jose Altuve -- 90 cutter, grounder to third (outer third).

(8 pitches)

FOURTH INNING

(L) Preston Tucker -- 88 cutter swinging strike (under hands); 86 changeup swinging strike; 93 fastball down and in; 93 fastball, fly to right.

(R) Carlos Correa -- 94 fastball called strike; 89 cutter down and away; 88 cutter down and away; 94 fastball foul; 93 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 84 breaking pitch low; 93 fastball, grounder to pitcher.

(R) Evan Gattis -- 93 fastball called strike; 92 fastball, single to center.

(L) Colby Rasmus -- 89 cutter foul; 85 changeup swinging; 84 breaking pitch low; 93 fastball foul; 85 changeup foul; 83 breaking pitch high; 83 breaking pitch, called strikeout (outer half).

(21 pitches)

FIFTH INNING

(L) Hank Conger -- 91 fastball foul; 87 breaking pitch high; 83 changeup high; 92 fastball called strike; 81 breaking pitch outside; 93 fastball outside, walk.

(L) Marwin Gonzalez -- 87 breaking pitch high; 92 fastball down; 91 fastball, pop to short.

(L) Jon Singleton -- 92 fastball inside; 92 fastball foul; 86 changeup swinging strike; 94 fastball foul; 81 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout (down and in; cartoonish snap in final 20 feet).

(L) Alex Presley -- 90 fastball ball; 87 breaking pitch inside; 92 fastball called strike; 92 fastball, single to center.

(Catcher Yan Gomes visits Kluber.)

(R) Jose Altuve -- 93 fastball up and in; 93 fastball called strike (inside; Kluber gets break from Dana Demuth); 94 fastball called strike (inside corner); 85 breaking pitch, fielder's choice/third base (Conger forced).

(22 pitches)

SIXTH INNING

(L) Preston Tucker -- 79 breaking pitch high and outside; 91 fastball called strike; fastball, fly to center (terrific running catch by Michael Bourn in right-center).

(R) Carlos Correa -- 89 cutter swinging strike; 93 fastball, grounder to short (terrific sliding play by Francisco Lindor over the middle; initial call of safe changed after replay challenge).

(R) Evan Gattis -- 92 fastball called strike; 88 cutter down and away; 92 fastball, single to center.

(L) Colby Rasmus -- 89 cutter foul; 92 fastball foul; 83 breaking pitch low; 92 fastball inside; 83 breaking pitch, swinging strikeout.

(13 pitches)

SEVENTH INNING

(L) Hank Conger -- 82 changeup high and away; 91 fastball foul; 92 fastball outside; 86 changeup called strike; 93 fastball, single to third.

(L) Marwin Gonzalez -- 92 fastball called strike (generous outside corner); 85 changeup swinging strike; 92 fastball foul; 82 breaking pitch foul; 93 fastball foul; 87 changeup in dirt; 89 cutter, fielder's choice, 1-6.

(Tribe pitching Mickey Callaway visits mound.)

(L) Jon Singleton -- 92 fastball swinging strike; (balk); 81 breaking pitch low; 93 fastball swinging strike; 93 fastball, swinging strikeout (up).

(L) Alex Presley -- 89 cutter outside; 88 cutter inside (passed ball; Gomes crossed up); 88 cutter ball; 93 fastball outside, walk.

(20 pitches)

(Zach McAllister relieves and strikes out Altuve swinging at nasty slurve down and away.)

The Shaw Firm: Bryan Shaw, subbing for Tribe closer Cody Allen (back), earned his second save. He pitched a perfect ninth in seven pitches.

Dirtbag chronicles: Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Kipnis's plate appearances:

First inning vs. RHP Vincent Velasquez -- 92 fastball called strike; 85 changeup high and outside; 94 fastball foul; 93 fastball foul (inside); 94 fastball foul; 83 curve in dirt; 81 curve foul; 94 fastball outside; 95 fastball foul; 94 fastball, grounder to second.

Skinny: Excellent at-bat even though it ended in an out.

Third inning vs. Velasquez (none on, none out) -- 94 fastball called strike; 94 fastball foul; 82 curve foul; 88 off-speed down and away; 82 curve, grounder to second.

Skinny: Decisive curve was quality.

Fifth inning vs. Velasquez (none on, two outs) -- 96 fastball down and in; 95 fastball outside; 94 fastball called strike; 95 fastball high; 95 fastball outside, walk.

Seventh inning vs. LHP Tony Sipp (runner on second, two outs) -- 80 breaking pitch called strike; fastball, fly to center.

Welcome back: Houston's two relievers were former Indians Sipp and Roberto Hernandez.