See five things to know from Urban Meyer's news conference on Wednesday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State linebacker Dante Booker is still questionable for Saturday's game vs. Tulsa.

Urban Meyer on Wednesday said Booker's injury is an MCL sprain, and he's a game-time decision. If Booker can't go, it will be either Joe Burger or Jerome Baker who will play in his place at Will linebacker.

Burger, a former walk-on who was named a team captain this year, played the bulk of the game against Bowling Green after Booker went down. Burger was also listed as a co-starter with Booker on his week's depth chart.

"Pretty good," Meyer said when asked to assess Burger's play on Saturday. "I saw a guy who knows our defense inside and out."

Here are four other things to know from Meyer's Wednesday news conference:

2. Ezekiel Elliott is bad at basketball. Meyer was talking about safety Malik Hooker, who was a standout basketball player in high school, and how impressed he was with Hooker when Meyer and Luke Fickell went to watch him play on a recruiting visit.

That's not always the case when watching prospects at basketball games. Meyer recalled watching Elliott play basketball in high school.

"That was awful," Meyer said.

3. Two receivers Meyer wants to get more touches this week: Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin.

4. Joe Burrow impressed Meyer on Saturday vs. Bowling Green. Burrow played the entire fourth quarter and part of the third in the blowout win.

"The first (and only) punt was when he was in," Meyer said. "He came to the sideline and I said, 'That's not what we do.' He confirmed what we all thought, he's a tough guy." 

5. Other injury updates besides Booker. Meyer said receiver Corey Smith was dealing with a hamstring injury against Bowling Green, and that slowed him a bit. Meyer was critical of Smith on Monday, before he found out about the hamstring issue.

"He didn't look as fast as he normally does," Meyer said. "He's still an integral part of what we're doing."

Meyer expected Smith to play this week. Kicker Sean Nuernberger is close to healthy too, Meyer said, after dealing with a groin injury in camp. Walk-on Tyler Durbin kicked at practice on Wednesday, and it's his job until Nuernberger beats him out.

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Rookie Mike Clevinger and veteran Josh Tomlin are the Indians' two top options to fill the fifth spot in the rotation to the end of the season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A few pitchers between now and the end of the season could fill the fifth spot in the Indians' rotation.

Manager Terry Francona told reporters Wednesday that rookie Mike Clevinger will fill the role Saturday at Target Field against the Twins. When the fifth spot comes around again on Sept. 15 against the White Sox in Chicago, Josh Tomlin could get a chance.

"What we're going to do is start Clev on Saturday," said Francona. "We've talked to him about approaching it like a bullpen appearance - kind of like what Carlos Carrasco did a while back (2013).

"Go out at 4 p.m. and do your throwing with the rest of the relievers. Then when the game starts, prepare like you're coming into a normal game - like you're pitching in the fifth inning."

Francona said they're trying to keep Clevinger, who has started for much of the season before being moved to the bullpen in mid-August, on the same routine.

"Tomlin is in the bullpen," said Francona. "Depending on how he is used, he will throw a side session at some point because we want to keep him in line for that next start (Sept. 15). Depending on how we get there, will dictate what he does."

Tomlin lost the fifth spot in the rotation after going 0-5 with an 11.48 ERA over his last six starts. The Indians skipped Tomlin's start Monday against the Astros and went with a bullpen day. Clevinger started, but lasted just 1 2/3 innings in a 6-2 loss, featuring eight pitchers.

Francona would like to get a few more innings out of Clevinger on Saturday, which is why he threw a bullpen session Wednesday to help him increase his pitch count and endurance.

It's assumed that Clevinger won't pitch between now and Saturday, but the same cannot be said for Tomlin. So he isn't necessarily guaranteed to start on Sept. 15.

"We want to have options," said Francona.

Among those are minor league starters Ryan Merritt, Shawn Morimando and Adam Plutko, who are currently pitching for Class AAA Columbus.

Now catching: Yan Gomes, who was supposed to DH on Wednesday night for Columbus to open the International League playoffs, will catch instead.

"Yan had such a good day throwing to the bases (Tuesday) that the medical people were fine with him catching tonight," said Francona. "He'll catch five innings."

Gomes understands why Tribe pursued Lucroy

Francona added that Gomes, recovering from a separated right shoulder, is also scheduled to catch Thursday for the Clippers.

"The medical people didn't see any reason not to let him catch," said Francona.

Asked if Gomes would join the Indians on their upcoming seven-game trip to Minneapolis and Chicago, Francona said, "He needs to play a little bit (on his rehab assignment)."

Homeward bound: Carlos Correa, who leads AL shortstops in RBI, returned to Houston to have his left shoulder examined. He could rejoin the Astros over the weekend.

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel, Correa's teammate, returned to Houston at the start of this four-game series with a sore left shoulder, and missed Tuesday's start. There is a chance last year's Cy Young winner could miss the rest of the season.

Blown clutch? The Indians, through the first eight games of this homestand, are hitting .193 (17-for-88) with runners in scoring position.

"You can't make it anything deeper than it has to be," said Jason Kipnis, after the Indians went 0-for-12 with RISP on Tuesday. "It could be just an off night. Sometimes guys come through, sometimes guys don't.

"It's just part of the game. The season is that long where you'll get a mix of both. You think that just because they say hitting is contagious so you assume the other way is as well. I think we just had an off night."

The Indians are ranked ninth in the AL in hitting with RISP at .261 (302-1,157). Boston is first at .288. The AL average is .263.

Bad memory: Corey Kluber allowed a three-run homer to Houston's Marwin Gonzalez on Tuesday night in the second inning on an 0-2 pitch pitching.

Early homer sinks Tribe.

The last time Kluber allowed a homer on a 0-2 pitch was Sept. 1, 2014. Victor Martinez hit it in a 12-1 Detroit victory.

Finally: The Indians entered Wednesday night's game tied with the Cubs with a 33-13 record at home since June. ...  In the last four years (2013-16), the Indians are 55-35 in September and October in the regular season. ... ESPN carried Wednesday night's game on the radio. Adam Amin and Jim Bowden called the game.

Three more Ohio State freshmen had their black stripes removed Wednesday, Urban Meyer announced via his Twitter account.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Three more Ohio State freshmen had their black stripes removed Wednesday, Urban Meyer announced via his Twitter account. 

Those three freshmen are offensive linemen Branden Bown and Gavin Cupp and tight end Jake Hausmann. 

Losing the black stripe is a tradition Meyer started at Ohio State that signifies a player has assimilated well into the program and has earned the right to be called a Buckeye.

Meyer said that you can infer how well a freshman is adjusting to the program by when they have their black stripe removed. You can read more about that in detail here. 

Below is a list of this year's freshmen who have had theirs removed: 

Austin Mack, WR, March 31

Michael Jordan, OL, Aug. 7

Damon Arnette, CB, Aug. 13

Tuf Borland, LB, Aug. 13

Joe Burrow, QB, Aug. 13

Jonathon Cooper, DE, Aug. 13

Davon Hamilton, DT, Aug. 13

Joshua Norwood, CB, Aug. 13

Dwayne Haskins, QB, Aug. 17

Rodjay Burns, CB, Aug. 17

Binjimen Victor, WR, Aug. 18

Jordan Leasure, RB, Aug. 18

Joe Schroer, DL, Aug. 19

Demario McCall, RB, Aug. 20

Rashod Berry, DE, Aug. 20

Keandre Jones, LB, Aug. 22

Jordan Fuller, DB, Aug. 22

Joshua Alabi, DL, Aug. 22 

Tyler Durbin, K, Aug. 23

Nick Bosa, DE, Aug. 25

Malik Harrison, LB, Aug. 25

Jake Hausmann, TE, Sept. 7

Branden Bowen, OL, Sept. 7

Gavin Cupp, OL, Sept. 7

Roger Goodell added that NFL players have a visible platform for their viewpoints. With that comes responsibility to use those platforms properly.

NEW YORK -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell disagrees with Colin Kaepernick's choice to kneel during the national anthem, but recognizes the quarterback's right to protest.

Asked by The Associated Press about Kaepernick's decision not to stand before games when the national anthem is played, Goodell said in an email Wednesday: "I don't necessarily agree with what he is doing."

"I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don't live in a perfect society," Goodell added. "On the other hand, we believe very strongly in patriotism in the NFL. I personally believe very strongly in that."

Goodell added that NFL players have a visible platform for their viewpoints. With that comes responsibility to use those platforms properly.

"We have to choose respectful ways of doing that so that we can achieve the outcomes we ultimately want and do it with the values and ideals that make our country great," said Goodell, whose late father, Charles, was a U.S. senator.

"I think it's important to have respect for our country, for our flag, for the people who make our country better; for law enforcement; and for our military who are out fighting for our freedoms and our ideals."

The San Francisco 49ers quarterback wouldn't stand for the anthem at the team's preseason games, with teammate Eric Reid and Seattle's Jeremy Lane doing the same. Kaepernick has cited racial injustice and police brutality among the many reasons for his actions and said he plans to continue to not stand for the anthem during the regular season.

Kaepernick said Wednesday on his Instagram account that he will donate all the money he receives from his jersey sales to charity to thank fans for their support. He said he's pleased his 49ers jersey has become the top seller in the NFL since his protest became public.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell thinks Colin Kaepernick should reconsider protests. Bob Leverone / AP 

Also in reaction to Kaepernick's actions:

-- U.S. hockey coach John Tortorella said he'd bench any player who stays seated during the national anthem. Tortorella, who will coach the United States at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, told ESPN: "If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game."

-- New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall spoke out on WFAN Radio, saying he disagreed with host Boomer Esiason, who had criticized Kaepernick.

Marshall also discussed the issue a bit at practice Wednesday.

"Like it or not, this is a civil rights movement. It's a civil rights issue," Marshall said. "Martin Luther King did an amazing job of making sure everyone was at the table. What I mean by that is, he never once went against America. He always said America was an amazing nation. Whether he believed that or not, I don't know, but I say that because if you want to get things done, you have to do it in a way where everyone's at the table."

-- Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin said he has considered joining Lane in not standing for the anthem.

"I want to make sure I get all my ducks in a row before I do so," Baldwin said.

"My grandfather being in the military it hit home for me as well. It's the veterans that have reached out and said that's what they fought for, that's what they sacrificed their lives for was to give people back home under the flag, under this country, the opportunity to stand up or sit for what they believe in. So that was very heartening for me to hear that."

Teammate Bobby Wagner believes the Seahawks should act together because "that's that the world needs to see."

"Anything we want to do, it's not going to be individual," he added. "It's going to be a team thing. The world needs to see people coming together versus being individuals."

Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe report from Berea as the Browns held practice on Wednesday. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns held practice in Berea on Wednesday as their first game week under new head coach Hue Jackson got underway. They take on the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Following practice, Mary Kay Cabot and I talked about the things we took away from the day. We talked about Robert Griffin III being named a captain. We also talked about Isaiah Crowell's goal of 1,000 yards rushing and about the response from the Eagles to comments the Browns front office has made about rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco is fighting off a swarm of midges as he faces the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Swarms of midges have returned to Progressive Field, and this time, they're getting in the way of the home team.

Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco reacted violently on his first pitch of the fourth inning Wednesday as a bug few into his eye.

 

After trainers flushed the bug from Carrasco's eye, he surrendered a single Astros first baseman Yulieski Gurriel and a first-pitch home run to outfielder Colby Rasmus to give Houston a 3-2 lead.

Carrasco had to be toweled down in the dugout between the fourth and fifth innings. Astros hitters appeared to be affected by the bugs, too. Both Rasmus and Jake Marisnick were seen swatting the pesky insects away from their eyes.

This is not the first time swarms of midges have affected play on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

Former New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain, who pitched this season for the Indians until he was released in early July, infamously became unnerved in the eighth inning of Game 2 in the 2007 American League Division Series, leading to a Cleveland rally.

Chamberlain, took to Twitter on Wednesday to let the ball club know he he was sympathetic to the players' plight.

@Indians Bug Spray doesn't work!! I know these things

-- Joba Chamberlain (@Joba_44) September 8, 2016

Eric Stamets has four hits, while Mike Papi has three hits and three RBI.

Eric StametsAkron RubberDucks 

ALTOONA, Pennsylvania -- Eric Stamets had four hits, and Jordan Smith and Mike Papi added three hits each as the RubberDucks defeated the Curve, 12-8, to open their best-of-five Class AA Eastern League playoff series.

Akron trailed after six innings, 7-3, as RubberDucks right-hander Julian Merryweather struggled, giving up seven runs and 11 hits in five innings.

The RubberDucks took control in the seventh. Ivan Castillo started the inning with a double off Curve starter Alex McRae, and Greg Allen brought him in with a triple. Stamets followed with a single to make it 7-5.

Reliever Josh Smith replaced McRae, but Smith drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Smith was replaced by Miguel Rosario, and Nellie Rodriguez singled to close the score to 7-6 with no outs.

Papi struck out, then Eric Haase doubled to bring in two runs. After Joe Sever walked, Mark Mathias hit an RBI single to give Akron a 9-7 lead. Rosario finally ended the inning by getting Castillo to ground into a double play.

The Curve made it 9-8 with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Smith's RBI double and Papi's two-run homer in the eighth gave Akron a 12-8 lead.

Stamets finished 4-for-5 with two RBI, while Papi was 3-for-5 with three RBI. Rodriguez and Haase each had two RBI.

Go here to see a box score from the game.

Thursday's win against Houston dropped the Cleveland Indians' magic number to 19 to clinch the AL Central.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wednesday's 6-5 victory against the Houston Astros, coupled with Chicago's win against Detroit earlier in the day, drops the Cleveland Indians' magic number to clinch the American League Central Division to 19.

Midges, Mike Napoli's power return to give Cleveland Indians' 6-5 win

The Tribe's lead over Detroit in the AL Central is 5.5 games as the team posted its 31st comeback win of the season. Any combination of Indians wins plus losses by the Tigers that is greater than or equal to 19 will clinch the division title for Cleveland.

That's Bob Feller (19). That's Bernie Kosar (19).

Indians magic number...19#BobFeller pic.twitter.com/i7CV6hnKE9

-- Cleveland Sportsline (@CLEsportsline) September 8, 2016

The Indians (80-58) go for their 81st win of the season on Thursday afternoon against the Astros. The ball club did not win its 81st game of 2015 until Oct. 4 -- closing day.

You can calculate a first-place team's magic number by starting with 163 and subtracting its number of wins and then subtracting the number of losses by the second-place team.

Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer as the Cleveland Indians denied the Houston Astros, 6-5, Wednesday night in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer, Brandon Guyer went 2-for-2 with two RBI and closer Cody Allen was electric in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Houston Astros, 6-5, Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Indians (80-58) lead second-place Detroit by 5.5 games in the AL Central.

The Indians knew before they took the field that they had an opportunity to make it  5.5. The Tigers gave up four runs in the eighth inning and lost to the White Sox, 7-4, in the afternoon.

Notable: The Tribe finished 81-80 last season.

Matter of RISP: The Indians went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position; the hits drove in four.

Batting .250 is nothing spectacular, but it qualified as news given that they were a combined 1-for-22 with RISP in the first two games of the series. They went 1-for-10 in a 6-2 loss Monday and 0-for-12 in a 4-3 loss Tuesday.

Here were the RISP hits Wednesday:

*With two outs in the second inning, Roberto Perez pounced on a 2-0 pitch from righty Doug Fister and singled up the middle. Rajai Davis scored from second to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.

*With one out in the third, Lonnie Chisenhall sent a 1-1 pitch up the middle for a single. Francisco Lindor scored from second to give the Tribe a 2-1 lead. Chisenhall was caught between first and second and thrown out.

*With two runs in and one out in the fifth, Guyer pinch-hit for Tyler Naquin after lefty Kevin Chapman replaced Fister. Guyer took two balls, then smoked a meaty strike to left-center for a double. Chisenhall scored from second, and Davis from first, to push the Tribe's advantage to 6-3.

Napster detonates: Napoli's two-run homer accounted for the first two runs of the fifth. The previous batter, Lindor, led off with a single.

Napoli crushed Fister's first pitch, a get-me-over slider (83). Napoli was obligated to deposit it high into the left-field bleachers.

Napoli established a career-best with his 31st homer, part of 92 RBI. He is playing on a one-year contract. He might be pricing himself out of the Tribe's budget for 2017 and beyond.

First things first: The Indians have hit 36 first-pitch homers -- eight by Napoli -- to rank tied for second (with Texas) in the American League. The Orioles have 43.

The Allen Code: Allen replaced Andrew Miller to begin the ninth with the Tribe leading, 6-5. Miller had allowed a two-run homer to Yuli Gurriel (2-2 hanging slider) in the eighth.

Lefty Tony Kemp, pinch-hitting for No. 9 batter Jake Marisnick, led off with a single up the middle.

Then came a fun three-at-bat stretch:

George Springer -- fastball ball; fastball ball; fastball called strike; fastball swinging strike; fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Springer overmatched.

Alex Bregman -- fastball swinging strike; fastball foul; fastball ball; fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: Bregman overmatched.

Jose Altuve -- fastball foul; fastball ball; curve called strike*; curve ball; letter-high fastball, swinging strikeout.

Skinny: AL MVP candidate Altuve overmatched -- sort of.

*Plate umpire Marvin Hudson butchered the call; the pitch was outside by plenty.

No question it changed the complexion of the at-bat. When it happens to an Indian, I make sure to point it out. Fair is fair.

Altuve has every right to be upset.

Credit catcher Roberto Perez and Allen for not over-thinking it against Springer and Bregman. While it is true that a bounced curve could have put Kemp in scoring position, I think the main reason for the exclusive heaters is that Perez and Allen were going to challenge Springer and Bregman to beat Allen's best.    

Allen earned his 25th save, preserving the victory for righty Carlos Carrasco (7 1/3 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 5 K).

Carrasco missed out on a John Lowe Quality Start (6+ IP, 3- ER) when Miller allowed an inherited runner to score in the eighth.

Carrasco (11-7, 3.15 ERA) battled bugs, bugs and more bugs. Pitchers and hitters from both sides had their eyes full.

The Cleveland Browns will keep it close enough against the Philadelphia Eagles and QB Carson Wentz in Philadelphia: DMan's NFL picks ATS, Week 1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks will be among the winners against the spread in NFL 2016 Week 1.

At least that is how I see it (for entertainment purposes only, of course).

The Browns are in Philadelphia; the Jets play host to the Bengals; and the Seahawks are at home against the Dolphins.

I am picking NFL ATS for the second straight year. In 2015, I went 122-127-7 in the regular season and 4-6-1 in the postseason. I managed to walk-off with a victory in the Super Bowl (Denver +5 1/2).

In this space, I decline to take the easy route when picking ATS. I pick all of the games, not a select few "hot ones'' each week. Leave that to a video. At the same time, I am realistic. I think batting .500 is an accomplishment, and I make no guarantees. (And don't yell at me too loudly when I have a bad week(s) because, after all, this is for entertainment purposes only.)

I have researched each team/matchup, but I plan on relying more on gut than anything else this season. 

For continuity's sake, each week I will use the MGM Mirage lines from vegasinsider.com as of Wednesday afternoon. Games are listed as I came upon them, not by order of certainty. I do not adjust picks even if injuries occur and/or lines change between Wednesday afternoon and Sunday.

Here are the predictions for NFL Week 1, with winner (against spread, not always outright) listed first:

Thursday night

@ Denver (+3) over Carolina

Skinny: I don't trust the Broncos' quarterback (untested Trevor Siemian). But I am bullish on their defense, which is not fazed by, among other things, the zone read. Broncos will not lose in their house to the team they just beat in the Super Bowl. Broncos, 17-13.

Sunday

@ Atlanta (-3) over Tampa Bay

Skinny: Falcons are shaky, in general, and QB Matt Ryan can't be trusted week in and week out. But they at home against a team that has its issues, too. Falcons, 23-17.

@ Tennessee (+2) over Minnesota

Skinny: Vikings, sans injured QB Teddy Bridgewater, have too much uncertainty at the position. Regardless, if the game were being played in Minnesota, I would have picked the Vikings by a touchdown. Titans, 19-15.

Browns (+4) over @ Philadelphia

Skinny: I expected to get more points, but Vegas refused. The basis for this pick is simple: Browns players will not be allowed to return to Berea if Eagles QB Carson Wentz plays superbly. Eagles surround a so-so Wentz with enough to win but not cover. Oh, by the way: Browns QB Robert Griffin III solid. Eagles, 20-17.

@ N.Y. Jets (+2) over Cincinnati

Skinny: Jets are supremely confident, and rightly so. They are a team on the rise, with the grizzly Harvard QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, at the helm. Jets, 20-16.

@ New Orleans (-1) over Oakland

Skinny: Count me among the many who believe in the Raiders -- but not on this day, in the Saints' dome, against QB Drew Brees. Saints, 27-23.

San Diego (+7) @ Kansas City

Skinny: Chiefs are on a different level than the Chargers, but the line is too big. Chargers score garbage-time TD to cover. Chiefs, 28-22.

@ Baltimore (-3) over Buffalo

Skinny: Vegas is disrespecting the Ravens, who will be better than (most) people outside of Maryland think. Ravens, 23-13.

@ Houston (-6) over Chicago

Skinny: This pick is not so much about the Texans being good as the Bears being bad. Texans, 26-10.

@ Jacksonville (+5 1/2) over Green Bay

Skinny: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is fantastic, no question. He will engineer a victory on the road -- but it won't be easy. Packers, 28-24.

@ Seattle (-10 1/2) over Miami

Skinny: A friend of mine who is piped in to the NFL, when told of this pick, scoffed. He wondered why I doubted the Dolphins and QB Ryan Tannehill so much. When I asked if he had an hour, he changed the subject. Seahawks, 33-12. 

N.Y. Giants (-1) over @ Dallas

Skinny: I like Cowboys substitute QB Dak Prescott. A lot. He will not be unnerved by the magnitude of the moment, and I expect him to perform well. It's just that Giants QB Eli Manning, who enjoys coming to Jerry's World, will be better. Giants, 24-21. 

@ Indianapolis (-4) over Detroit

Skinny: This line smells; Colts should be favored by more. Colts and QB Andrew Luck out-score Detroit. Colts, 33-27.

New England (+6) over @ Arizona

Skinny: Almost every fiber of my being thinks the Cardinals cruise, largely because the Patriots' quarterback will be untested Jimmy Garoppolo in a hostile environment. The reason I am going the other way is, New England coach Bill Belichick will not allow his team to be handled in an opener on national TV. Cardinals, 23-19. 

Monday night

Pittsburgh (-3) over @ Washington

Skinny: It pains me to pick the Steelers to win anything, but I am not naive in this case: Even with their daily suspensions, they are formidable. And Redskins QB Kirk Cousins is due for a market correction. Steelers, 26-20.

@ San Francisco (+2) over L.A. Rams

Skinny: 49ers have had this game circled on their calendar simply because there was a Sharpie in the vicinity and nothing else to do in the locker room. 49ers are bad -- but so are the Rams. 49ers, 20-13.

BMW Championship 2016, the third of four FedExCup Playoffs events, will send 30 to the Tour Championship in two weeks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Now, FedExCup Playoffs 2016 get real.

The BMW Championship, the third of four playoff events, unfolds this week in Carmel, Ind., with a field of 69 (of 70; Henrik Stenson will not start). When it is over, the top 30 in the FedExCup standings advance to the Tour Championship in two weeks.

The PGA Tour's younger set has used the FedEx Cup Playoffs as a showcase.

The past nine players to win a playoff event were under age 30. The eighth, Patrick Reed, 26, won The Barclays two weeks ago in New York state. The ninth, Rory McIlroy, 27, won the Deutsche Bank Championship last week in Massachusetts.

Reed is ranked No. 1 in the FedExCup standings; McIlroy, fourth. 

The top 125 in the FedEx points standings qualified for the playoffs. The reset top 100 were eligible to advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship, then the 70 to the BMW Championship.

The BMW Championship begins Thursday morning and runs through Sunday. Here are the groupings and tee times. Golf Channel will televise live Thursday from 3-7 p.m. You can follow along all round on The PGA Tour's live leaderboard.

Thursday's live leaderboard:

PGA TOUR

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Carmel, Ind.

Course: Crooked Stick CC. Yardage: 7,516. Par: 72.

Purse: $8.5 million (First prize: $1.53 million).

Television:

• Thursday: Golf Channel, 3-7 p.m.
  
• Friday: Golf Channel, 3-7 p.m.
• Saturday: NBC Sports, 12-3:30 p.m.; Golf Channel 3:30-6 p.m.
• Sunday: Golf Channel, 12-2 p.m.; NBC Sports, 2-6 p.m.

Defending champion: Jason Day.

Last week: Rory McIlroy won the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Notes: McIlroy won the last time the BMW Championship was held at Crooked Stick ... McIlroy's six-shot comeback at the TPC Boston last Monday matched the largest rally in FedExCup Playoffs history. Adam Scott came from six behind to win The Barclays in 2013. ... Sean O'Hair is the only player at the BMW Championship who started the FedEx Cup playoffs outside the top 100 (No. 108). He tied for second at The Barclays. ... There has not been a full field at any of the playoff events this year. Henrik Stenson (No. 24) is not playing Crooked Stick. ... Scott, Patrick Reed, Ryan Moore and Jason Kokrak have finished in the top 10 at both playoff events. ... Emiliano Grillo (No. 8) and Smylie Kaufman (No. 33) are the only PGA Tour rookies to advance to the BMW Championship. They won the first two tournaments of the season. ... Crooked Stick hosted the 1991 PGA Championship won by John Daly, the 1993 U.S. Women's Open won by Lauri Merten and the U.S. Senior Open won by Fred Funk. It also hosted the 2005 Solheim Cup. ... The top 30 advance to the Tour Championship on Sept. 22-25. Those players are exempt into the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open in 2017.

Next week: No tournament. The Tour Championship is Sept. 22-25.

Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The midges, the Indians winged home-field advantage, returned in force Wednesday night as the Indians beat the Astros at Progressive Field to take a 5 1/2 lead over Detroit in the AL Central. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The postseason must be getting close. Joba Chamberlain and the midges returned to Progressive Field on Wednesday night.

So did Mike Napoli's power.

Chamberlain returned via Twitter, but the midges that drove him to distraction as a member of the Yankees during the Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS were all too real as the Indians edged Houston, 6-5, on a steamy September night.

The tiny flying insects disrupted at-bats by Houston's Jason Castro and Jake Marisnick in the fourth inning. Indians starter Carlos Carrasco had one fly into his left eye as he threw a pitchl to Yulieski Gurriel to start the fourth inning and had to be attended to be trainers.

Carrasco resumed pitching, but gave up a leadoff single to Gurriel and homer to Colby Rasmus, the next batter, to put Houston ahead, 3-2. Were the midges to blame?

"It was weird," said Carrasco. "I was throwing a curveball and couldn't see for a minute. It didn't feel good, but I have to come back and make my pitches.

"I got a ground ball for a base hit. Then I missed my spot on the home run and he got it."

The Astros have been the only thing peskier than the midges during this 10-game homestand for the Indians. They opened with three-game sweeps of the Twins and Marlins. The Astros, however, took the first two games of this four-game set to guarantee their first winning season series against the Tribe since they joined the American League in 2013.

But Wednesday night, backed by their winged home-field advantage, the Indians finally got back to winning ballgames.

The Tribe seemingly put the game away with a four-run fifth against Doug Fister (12-11, 4.14). Francisco Lindor started with a single and Napoli hammered a 433-foot, first-pitch homer deep into the left field bleachers for a 4-3 lead.

It gave Napoli a career-high 31 homers and pushed his RBI total to 92. It was his second homer in three games after going homerless since Aug. 11.

"Nap has been a huge part of what we've done here," said closer Cody Allen. "Even when he wasn't hitting home runs for a while, he was still having good at bats and driving in runs."

Lonnie Chisenhall and Rajai Davis kept the inning going with one-out singles to knock Fister out of the game. Lefty Kevin Chapman relieved to faced Tyler Naquin, but Brandon Guyer pinch hit and drove a two-run double to the wall in left to make it 6-3.

"He's a really valuable guy to have," said manager Terry Francona. "He has over a 1.000 OPS against lefties."

Carrasco (11-7, 3.15) carried the lead into the eighth before allowing a one-out double to Evan Gattis. Andrew Miller relieved and instead of breezing through the inning as he has been doing since being acquired from the Yankees on July 31, he gave up a two-run homer to Gurriel to make it 6-5. Miller ended the rest of the inning with the lead intact.

"He probably threw one too many sliders," said Francona. "I think he threw five in a row."

In his last six starts, Carrasco is 4-1 with a 3.12 ERA. He has 52 strikeouts and three walks in 40 1/3 innings in that stretch. On Wednesday he allowed four runs on nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Allen earned his 25th save by striking out three straight -- AL batting leader Jose Altuve to finish it -- after giving up a leadoff single Tony Kemp in the ninth.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the second on Roberto Perez's two-out single. Altuve tied it with an RBI single in the third, but Chisenhall's single put the Tribe back on top, 2-1, in the third.

What it means

The Indians pushed their lead in the AL Central to 5 1/2 games over Detroit. The Tigers lost to the White Sox on Wednesday for the second straight day. The magic number to clinch the AL Central falls to 19.

The pitches

Carrasco threw 100 pitches, 66 (66 percent), for strikes. Fister threw 89 pitches, 53 (60 percent) for strikes.

Three's company

Lindor's sixth-inning single gave him three hits for the night. He leads the big leagues with 23 games of three or more hits.

It's the most by an Indian since Hall of Famer Earl Averill had 29 and Hal Trosky had 24 in 1936.

Tweet from Joba

Chamberlain opened the season with the Indians, but was designated for assignment in July. Here's the Tweet he sent the Indians on Wednesday night.

oh no....

....they're back. https://t.co/yYMzEad1iZ

-- Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 8, 2016

Thanks for coming

The Astros and Indians drew 12,063 to Progressive Field. Indians attendance for the season is 1,381,312 in 71 home dates.

First pitch was 7:10 p.m. with a temperature of 87 degrees.

What's next?

Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer (10-6, 3.70) will face Houston right-hander David Paulino at 12:10 p.m. Thursday. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the game.

Bauer, 3-1 in his last six starts, is 4-0 with a 0.67 ERA in his career against the Astros. Altuve is hitting .250 (3-for-12) against him.

Paulino, who has pitched at three levels in the minors this year, will be making his big league debut. Indians scouting reports have him throwing a fastball that ranges from 87 to 97 mph. The 22-year-old Paulino is 5-4 with a 2.00 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 90 innings. He's made 20 appearances, including 15 starts. He last pitched on Sept. 1 for Class AAA Fresno, throwing five scoreless innings.

Bill Landis and Ari Wasserman recap Urban Meyer's weekly radio show.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Urban Meyer previewed Saturday's game against Tulsa during his weekly radio show on Thursday on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus.

Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis recapped Meyer's show, and chatted about the Buckeyes game this week during a live video on our cleveland.com Ohio State Facebook page.

Among the things discussed this week:

* Noah Brown's health

* Defensive line depth

* Freshmen who could make an impact this season

You can watch a replay of the live video below, and make sure you're liking our Facebook page for live video all season.

The Cleveland Indians benefited from a blown call in the third inning on Thursday after Lonnie Chisenhall's foul ball was ruled a wild pitch.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians benefited from a blown call Thursday in the bottom of the third inning when Francisco Lindor and Mike Napoli scored on what was ruled a wild pitch by home plate umpire Jim Joyce.

With Lonnie Chisenhall batting and the bases loaded, Astros pitcher David Paulino bounced a pitch toward the plate that glanced off Chisenhall's bat and trickled into foul territory. But Joyce did not declare the pitch a foul, and Astros catcher Jason Castro stood at the plate to argue.

Hey @MLB... Maybe get Jim Joyce a hearing aid and some glasses. These guys blew a stupid easy call. #Astros @astros pic.twitter.com/22dJqdMBlb

-- Ryan Simmons (@ry_borg) September 8, 2016

Play continued as Lindor and Napoli crossed the plate, followed eventually by Jose Ramirez. Joyce called timeout amid the confusion and met with the umpiring crew.

This was ruled a wild pitch / passed ball that scored 2 runs. Well... alright. #wat pic.twitter.com/NJFWg9cIiV

-- Kyle @ Driveline (@drivelinebases) September 8, 2016

After a prolonged discussion, Lindor and Napoli's runs stood and Ramirez was sent back to second base.

Joyce can clearly be heard on replay saying "No, he didn't" as the pitch bounced away. Whether or not Joyce was referring to Chisenhall checking his swing, or whether the ball hit his bat is open to interpretation.

Whether or not the pitch was fouled off is not reviewable, per Major League Baseball rules. 

The play gave Cleveland a 4-1 lead at the time. Houston manager A.J. Hinch argued the decision and was ejected from the game.

On Twitter, both teams conceded the oddity of the play.

[?] [?] [?]

-- Houston Astros (@astros) September 8, 2016

@astros sorry guys

-- Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 8, 2016

@Indians not your fault [?]

-- Houston Astros (@astros) September 8, 2016

Punk didn't look great at the UFC 203 press conference. But remained his charming self in fielding questions.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - CM Punk said his weight cut hasn't been the most horrible thing in the world. But it sure didn't look it during the UFC 203 press conference at The Q in Cleveland on Saturday.

Punk was his usual charming self during the press conference. But he looked visibly drained. Still, the former WWE superstar remained positive about this past week's festivities.

"I've done stuff like this my entire career," Punk said. This week has actually been a light week compared to what I used to do on a daily, weekly basis."

Punk followed that up with a question: "I don't look horrible, do I?"

The answer is yes. It is easily the thinnest Punk has looked since he began his professional wrestling career more than 15 years ago. Fans watching the press conference commented on Punk's drained look on Twitter (See below).

Punk has been hesitant to admit how much he weighed at the start of this process. But he has suggested publicly the cut to 170 pounds hasn't been easy. Meanwhile, Punk's opponent Mickey Gall, who won his first UFC fight looked rather healthy and relaxed.

Still, it's worth pointing out CM Punk isn't the first fighter to ever cut a lot of weight and many of them have come out on top in their bouts. Punk also seemed to impress people during his open workout on Wednesday.

In the end, what matters is how he looks when he steps in the octagon Saturday, assuming he makes 170 pounds.

Oh god...I love CM Punk but he looks dead from his weight cut #UFC203 pic.twitter.com/sheNRaOKqD

-- annoyed_critic (@annoyed_critic) September 8, 2016

Watching UFC presser. Holy crap, CM Punk looks lean.

-- Mr. Fusion (@NotMrFusion) September 8, 2016

CM Punk looks sick.

-- x (@Swiingin) September 8, 2016

CM Punk has cut weight horribly, looks a mess going into Saturday

-- Kane Chapman (@KaneChapman91) September 8, 2016

Cm Punk looks like skelator lmao

-- Kevin (@KCeltics830) September 8, 2016

Not sure whats worse, how bad cm punk looks cutting weight or that suit jacket [?] #UFC203

-- Kieran (@KieranF_) September 8, 2016

Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor envisioned becoming a starting receiver in the NFL right after he made the switch from quarterback; Carl Nassib says the Browns will try to take advantage of Carson Wentz's slow release.

BEREA, Ohio -- Plenty of folks are surprised that Terrelle Pryor is a starting receiver in the NFL, but he's not among them.

"I saw this day,'' Pryor said Thursday after practice for Sunday's opener in Philadelphia. "I envisioned myself doing this. I envisioned myself doing it last year, but I had a little injury. I'm happy and I can't wait to go and play with my teammates.''

Pryor acknowledged that he's excited to get his first season as a starter underway.

"It's not a thing where I just woke up and rolled out of bed and that's what happened,'' he said. "There's a lot of hard work into it and this is what I expect."

#Browns Terrelle Pryor: "I saw this day" of becoming a starting WR in the #NFL pic.twitter.com/JGQAodAjxs

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 8, 2016

The Browns' two starters, Pryor and first-round pick Corey Coleman, have two career starts at receiver and one catch between them.

"This whole week (Coleman has) been awesome,'' Pryor said. "He's been handling his business. He's been on point on everything. He caught a lot of balls today and yesterday and it's exciting to see. It's really coming together for him and it's starting to slow down for him. You can really see it.''

It's not all on RG3

Pryor, a former NFL quarterback, knows that Robert Griffin III will need help to be successful on Sunday.

"He's our captain, so we expect him just like he does every day to be the leader, the voice for us, lead us down the field,'' said Pryor. "Everything's not going to be pretty. It's not. It's the NFL. We know that the Eagles have players that get paid too. We have to try to make some plays and help him. It's not all on his shoulders.''

Why Hue Jackson was surprised RG3 voted a team captain

Four rookie receivers

Pryor and Andrew Hawkins are the only two receivers with experience, and Hawkins is the only one with more than two career starts. He has 25. The rest are rookies.

"We believe in them,'' said Pryor. "Just because they're young doesn't mean anything. Obviously they're going to have a learning curve just like all of us, but there's no reason not to believe in them and not to be happy that they're with us.''

Carl Nassib on Carson Wentz's slower release

Rookie defensive lineman Carl Nassib has watched Carson Wentz's 39 preseason snaps multiple times, and says the Browns have identified something they'll try to pounce on.

"He can run, he has good mobility, and he's got a good arm,'' said Nassib. "His release is a little slow, so we plan to take advantage of that.''

Overall, "I think they're going to keep things basic for him, but I'm just going to go out there and play as fast as I can and pressure him as much as I can, make him uncomfortable.''

With a hairline fracture of the rib, Wentz might not run as much as he would normally, Nassib said.

"He's a dual threat, but I heard he's a little banged up right now, so I doubt he'll be running the ball very much,'' he said.

He said he plans to run after him as much as he can.

"We'll see who gets tired first,'' he said.

Tramon Williams on RG3

Defensive back Tramon Williams has been impressed with Griffin, saying he gives defenses something extra to worry about.

"He brings a whole different variety of offense,'' Williams said. "He can pretty much do whatever when he's in the game. Obviously, he can hurt you with his legs and he can hurt you with his arm. He has one of the best deep balls in this game. You can run the conventional offense, you can run zone read scheme, you can do whatever. He is going to bring a totally different dimension to his game that people are going to have to prepare for. We have those types of players on the offensive side of the field that he is not going to be the only one that they have to prepare for. I think it is going to be a nightmare for guys preparing for us."

Williams added, "He's in the process of trying to rejuvenate his career. He has to come out and fight now. I can't wait to see what he can do.''

For his part, Williams is embracing his role as the starting nickel back -- although he's still working toward getting his starting job back. "It's definitely an adjustment for me,'' he said. "But I'm always all about the team.''

In addition he'll return punts and is looking forward to the challenge, even at the age of 33.

The Indians discovered some rare forms of scoring on Thursday, as they toppled the Astros, 10-7, to salvage a four-game split and tack on another half-game to their division lead.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There is no baseball directive that mandates the manner in which runs must be scored. Runs, in fact, come in many variations.

How about two runs on a foul tip? How about two more on an infield dribbler?

The Indians discovered some rare forms of scoring on Thursday, as they toppled the Astros, 10-7, to salvage a four-game split and tack on another half-game to their division lead.

They scored twice on a controversial ruling at the plate in the third. They scored twice more on a slow bouncer to shortstop in the fourth. Each instance counted for just as much as Abraham Almonte's two-run triple and Carlos Santana's two-run blast to right in the fifth.

The disputed call in the third may have altered the course of the contest. With the bases loaded and two outs with the Indians leading 2-1, Astros starter David Paulino bounced a pitch in the dirt. The baseball skipped off the ground and caromed off of Lonnie Chisenhall's bat.

Home-plate umpire Jim Joyce never signaled for a foul tip, however. He ruled it a wild pitch.

So as the baseball trickled toward the Indians' dugout, Francisco Lindor trotted home from third and Mike Napoli dashed to the plate from second. Even Jose Ramirez, who started the play on first, scurried around the bases. Joyce eventually placed both hands in the air to call for time.

The four umpires congregated on the infield grass for several minutes before ultimately granting the Indians two runs and sending Ramirez back to the bases. They then turned to the replay equipment to confirm that a foul tip is a judgment call and cannot be reviewed. They also double checked the placement of the runners; Ramirez retreated to second base, his location at the moment in which Joyce called time.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch, visibly perturbed by the entire ordeal, supplied Joyce with an earful before he was ejected.

By the time Chisenhall lined out to second base, the Indians had staked claim to a 4-1 lead. They extended their edge in the fourth, when Lindor sent a weak bases-loaded dribbler toward Houston shortstop Alex Bregman, who failed to grab the baseball with his right hand. Almonte jogged to the plate from third and Santana hustled home from second as the ball skirted away from the rookie infielder.

Santana placed the final exclamation point on the Indians' offensive outpouring with a two-run shot -- his career-high 30th homer of the season -- to right. Almonte, who delivered a two-run triple earlier in the frame, scored on Santana's towering drive.

The Indians have tallied 10 or more runs in a game on 12 occasions this season. Thursday's output proved to be enough backing for Tribe starter Trevor Bauer, who exited after five-plus innings. Bauer allowed five runs on seven hits. Cody Allen picked up his 26th save with a perfect ninth.

What it means

The Indians pushed their advantage over the Tigers in the American League Central to six games. It's the Tribe's largest lead in a little more than two weeks.

The Indians completed their 10-game homestand against Minnesota, Miami and Houston with an 8-2 record.

Mother Nature's wrath

A rain delay interrupted the game in the middle of the sixth inning for 55 minutes.

Bash brothers

Napoli and Santana are the first pair of Indians teammates with 30 or more home runs in a season since 2002, when Jim Thome clubbed 52 homers and Ellis Burks hit 32.

Let's see that again

Abraham Almonte notched his fourth outfield assist of the season following a replay challenge. Almonte double clutched and then fired a throw to second base on an A.J. Reed base hit to left. Kipnis applied the tag as Reed slid into the bag, but second-base umpire James Hoye ruled Reed safe. After a 48-second replay resulted in an overturned call, Bauer pointed to the left fielder.

Just looking

Andrew Miller faced two batters in the eighth and caught both with a called third strike. Miller has walked eight and struck out 105 this season.

Good glove

Lindor sprawled out onto his chest in the outfield grass to make a diving stop on a Colby Rasmus grounder in the first. The Indians had shifted Lindor to the right side of the infield for the at-bat. Lindor bounced to his feet and threw out Rasmus to end the inning.

Loud strike

With two outs in the third, Napoli launched a 464-foot foul ball over the bridge that overlooks the home-run porch. The baseball bounced onto the Gateway Plaza. The ball left Napoli's bat at an estimated 113 mph, per the league's Statcast data. Two pitches later, Napoli reached base via hit-by-pitch.

They came, they saw

An announced crowd of 15,275 watched the matinee on a sticky, overcast afternoon at Progressive Field. A 55-minute rain delay interrupted things in the middle of the sixth inning.

What's next

The Indians will embark on their penultimate road trip of the regular season as they meet the Minnesota Twins for a weekend series at Target Field. The Tribe will send right-hander Danny Salazar (11-6, 3.78 ERA) to the hill to oppose Minnesota righty Tyler Duffey (8-10, 6.24). After three tilts against the Twins, the Indians will head to Chicago for a four-game set against the White Sox.

The Indians' final 23 games will come against AL Central opponents.

The Cleveland Browns have not defeated the Philadelphia Eagles since 1994. The two teams will meet in the season opener on Sunday in Philadelphia. Here's a vintage photo gallery looking at past games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns open the season at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

It's the first meeting between the two teams since 2012, when the Browns fell to the Eagles, 17-16, here in Cleveland. That loss extended the Browns' losing streak against the Eagles to four, but the Browns lead the series 31-16-1.

The previous meeting was not only the season opener but also the debut of rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden. It was a game where Weeden's 5.1 rating was the sixth lowest in an opener with a minimum 15 of pass attempts since the 1970 merger.

Also, Weeden's rating was the seventh lowest for any quarterback in his first NFL start making at least 15 passes since 1970.

See the photo gallery of the Browns vs. Eagles through the years.

Cleveland's win on Thursday shrinks the Tribe's magic number to 18.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Thursday's 10-7 victory against the Houston Astros drops the Cleveland Indians' magic number to clinch the American League Central Division to 18.

Cleveland's lead over the Detroit Tigers stands at six games with 23 games to play. All of the remaining games will be against AL Central opponents.

Any combination of Indians wins plus losses by the second-place Tigers that is greater than or equal to 18 will clinch the division title for Cleveland.

The Indians (81-58) go on the road for the next seven days with three games in Minnesota followed by four in Chicago. The Tigers open a three-game series tomorrow at home against Baltimore.

30 for 'Los!

First time with two players w/30+ HRs since 2002!

It's 10-3! pic.twitter.com/rT3IH90Bt7

-- Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 8, 2016

Thursday's win was Cleveland's 81st of the season. The Tribe won 81 games total in all of 2015.

You can calculate a first-place team's magic number by starting with 163 and subtracting its number of wins and then subtracting the number of wins by the second-place team.

Do you believe in magic (numbers)? What the figure means for the Cleveland Indians

Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor and the umpires factored in the Cleveland Indians' 10-7 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Carlos Santana went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and one walk as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Houston Astros, 10-7, Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field. Tribe shortsstop Francisco Lindor had two hits and drove in three.

Here is a capsule look at the key aspect(s) of the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio: 

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Indians (81-58) lead the second-place Detroit Tigers (75-64) by 6.0 games in the AL Central. The Tigers were idle Thursday.

The teams play seven of their final 23 games against each other.

Grand 'stand: The Tribe went 8-2 on a homestand against Minnesota (3-0), Miami (3-0 and Houston (2-2).

Tito Time: Manager Terry Francona clinched his 12th consecutive season of .500+, dating to the 2004 Boston Red Sox. The past four have come with the Indians.

Francona is 1,083-837 in the regular season, plus six playoff appearances and two World Series titles, in the 12-year run post-Philadelphia.

30/30 vision: Santana's homer was his 30th of the season. He and Mike Napoli (31) became the first Indians teammates with 30+ homers since 2002, when Jim Thome had 52 and Ellis Burks 32.

Dialing L.A. County: The Indians posted three straight crooked numbers -- four in the third inning, two in the fourth, four in the fifth. They led, 10-3, though five.

They helped force Astros pitchers David Paulino, Brady Rodgers and Michael Feliz to throw 105 pitches to get those nine outs.

Enormous break for Cleveland: The Indians only should have scored two in the third.

Tyler Naquin led off with a seven-pitch walk against Astros right-hander David Paulino, who had worked two scoreless innings in 25 pitches.

Chris Gimenez flied to center. With Santana batting, Naquin stole second. Santana grounded to second, Naquin advancing to third.

Jason Kipnis fell behind, 1-2. At that point, Paulino had thrown 17 pitches in the inning. Kipnis fouled three times before lining a curve off the left-field wall for an RBI double to tie the score, 1-1. It was yet another quality plate appearance by Kipnis during his banner season.

Lindor grounded a 2-1 fastball up the middle for an RBI single. Napoli, who had been down in the count, 1-2, was plunked by a 2-2 curve.

Jose Ramirez, down in the count, 1-2, checked his swing just in time at a ball in the dirt that turned into a wild pitch. Lindor advanced to third and Napoli to second. After a ball and foul, Ramirez walked. It was yet another quality plate appearance by Ramirez during his banner season. 

Lonnie Chisenhall, down, 0-2, took a ball. He fouled three straight. Paulino threw a curve in the dirt that deflected off Chisenhall's bat for a fourth straight foul. Chisenhall knew it, Astros catcher Jason Castro knew it. Everybody knew it -- except plate umpire Jim Joyce and the base umpires.

Lindor crossed the plate and, as Castro turned to discuss with Joyce (because, after all, the ball having hit the barrel prevented Castro from blocking it), Napoli crossed the plate. Joyce, dazed and confused, called timeout. Ramirez kept running the bases because the ball was in foul territory, untouched.

Joyce huddled with the base umpires. Joyce undoubtedly knew he had missed the call, but it was not subject to MLB review. And he knew that Francona would blow four gaskets if one of the umpires, once the huddle stretched past 10 seconds, suddenly claimed to have seen the foul.

Why such a play is not reviewable is mind-boggling. MLB: If a significant call that is wrong can be reversed in 10 seconds, let it happen.

Joyce eventually signaled no foul, two runs in, Ramirez back to second. Astros manager A.J. Hinch, understandably dumbfounded, argued with Joyce until Joyce ejected him. Somehow, Hinch remained calm on his way back to the dugout.

The Indians had stolen two runs and, incredible as it might seem, seemingly had a case that they were robbed of a run (Ramirez). Just because Castro argued with Joyce did not mean Joyce needed to call timeout. The ball, after all, was still live.

Chisenhall lined to second -- Paulino's 45th pitch of the inning.

Yes, the Indians won by three, so mathematically Joyce's miss did not cost the Astros a victory. But it altered the complexion of the game for them. Who knows it would have turned out if their deficit was 2-1 after three instead of 4-1?     

The Tigers no doubt rolled their eyes. Joyce infamously cost Detroit righty Armando Galarraga a perfect game against the Tribe on June 2, 2010, at Comerica Park. First-base umpire Joyce called Jason Donald safe on a grounder to the right side when Donald clearly should have been the 27th consecutive out. Rubbing salt in the wound for Galarraga, it needed to be ruled a hit. Galarraga ended up with a one-hit shutout that felt like a loss.

No apologies necessary: The Indians benefitted twice on the homestand from a checked-swing-related blown call by the umpires. In the first inning last Friday against the Marlins, Kipnis was ruled to have not swung when he clearly did. What should have been a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play (Santana had led off with a walk) turned into first and second, none out. The Tribe scored three in the inning en route to a 6-2 victory.