Chicago @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2013 ) Cleveland 4, Chi. White Sox 5

The Cleveland Indians hope to resume activity when they host the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Cleveland’s last two games against the visiting New York Yankees were rained out, leaving the Indians idle since Tuesday. The White Sox were just swept in their three-game series against the Washington Nationals, allowing 20 runs in the process. Five of Chicago’s first nine games have been decided by one run, with the White Sox winning three.

Chicago right fielder Alex Rios is off to one of the best starts in the major leagues. He’s hitting .429 with four home runs, three doubles and three stolen bases. He has hit safely in every game this spring and 15 straight dating to last season. That's the longest hitting streak of his career and the longest active streak in the majors. Indians catcher Carlos Santana leads the American League with a .500 batting average, while Mark Reynolds has been providing the power, hitting four home runs in 28 at-bats.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (0-0, 11.25 ERA) vs. Indians RH Justin Masterson (2-0, 0.69)

Quintana made his major-league debut against the Indians last May, shutting them out on one hit over 5 2/3 innings of relief. He made his first career start 18 days later against the same Cleveland team, allowing two runs on four hits while earning his first major-league victory. Opposing batters seem to have figured out Quintana since then, however. He went 5-6 the rest of the way last season as his ERA rose to 3.76. He was roughed up in his season debut last week, as six of the first seven batters he faced in the fifth inning hit safely and the other reached on an error by Quintana, ending his day after 77 pitches. Seattle eventually won in 10 innings, 8-7.

Masterson has already joined a rare group, becoming the third major-league pitcher to beat both reigning Cy Young Award winners in the same season. He out-dueled R.A. Dickey of the Toronto Blue Jays in the season opener April 2, and did the same to David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays five days later. He combined to allowed five hits and one earned run in the 13 innings of both starts. Masterson has made more appearances (19) and starts (15) against the White Sox than any other major-league club, owning a 4-5 record and 2.69 ERA. He has thrown two of the four complete games in his career against the White Sox.

WALK-OFFS

1. The White Sox announced Thursday that 2B Gordon Beckham will undergo surgery on his fractured right wrist and will miss approximately six weeks. Beckham was injured while swinging at a pitch in the second inning of Tuesday’s loss to the Nationals.

2. Because of the rainouts, the Indians are skipping the next start of Ubaldo Jimenez and starting Zach McAllister on Saturday. McAllister was Thursday’s scheduled starter.

3. Cleveland RF Nick Swisher has hit safely in last 18 games at Progressive Field.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, White Sox 3