Tampa Bay @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2016 ) Cleveland 6, Tampa Bay 0

The Cleveland Indians have yet to lose a game at home this month and look to continue that dominance when the Tampa Bay Rays pay a visit on Monday for the first of three contests. The Indians edged the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Sunday for their eighth consecutive victory at Progressive Field while maintaining a one-half game lead atop the American League Central.

Cleveland boasts 14 come-from-behind wins overall, is averaging 5.5 runs at home (20-12) and has been victorious in 10 of 12 games when Monday starter Josh Tomlin takes the mound in 2016. Drew Smyly tries to end a winless streak that has stretched to five contests for the Rays, who are losers of four straight but have been a much better team on the road (16-16) this season. Tampa Bay has gone cold offensively again, struggling at 0-for-20 with runners in scoring position while getting swept of three games at home by San Francisco over the weekend. The Indians took two of three from the Rays in April, allowing a total of one run in the final two contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Drew Smyly (2-7, 4.75 ERA) vs. Indians RH Josh Tomlin (8-1, 3.27)

Smyly showed improvement last time out after skipping a start to rest, allowing two runs and four hits with 12 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision. The 27-year-old gave up a homer in that outing, though, and has surrendered eight blasts in his last five turns. Yan Gomes is 4-for-11 with two homers versus Smyly, who is 2-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 14 appearances (four starts) against Cleveland.

Tomlin has permitted two or fewer runs in eight of his 12 starts this season, including last time out as he gave up one in seven innings of a no decision against Kansas City. The Texas Tech product has recorded 50 strikeouts and just seven walks in 74 1/3 frames but has yielded 13 homers. Corey Dickerson is 1-for-2 with a blast against Tomlin, who is 2-2 with a 4.11 ERA in four career starts versus the Rays.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay 2B and leadoff batter Logan Forsythe is 10-for-29 with four multi-hit performances in his last six games.

2. Cleveland 3B Jose Uribe went 5-for-9 with two homers, four runs scored and four RBIs in his last two contests after enduring a 1-for-24 slump.

3. Rays 3B Evan Longoria has belted eight homers in his last 14 games and has 17 on the season – four shy of his total for 2015.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Rays 3