New York @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2015 ) Cleveland 4, NY Yankees 3

The Cleveland Indians are coming off a rare misstep at Progressive Field while the New York Yankees are stumbling at an all-too-common pace away from the Bronx. The Indians look to regain their footing after seeing their 13-game home winning streak come to a end when they open a four-game set versus the visiting Yankees on Thursday.

American League Central-leading Cleveland suffered its first loss in 12 meetings with Detroit this season as the latter salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 12-2 shellacking on Wednesday afternoon. Francisco Lindor has four RBIs in his last three games overall and looks to continue his dominance versus New York, against which he is 13-for-30 with two homers in seven career encounters. While Lindor has made himself at home versus the Yankees, the latter hasn't been very comfortable on the road this season. New York fell to 18-25 away from home and 2-4 on its 10-game road trip after dropping a 5-0 decision to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (5-5, 5.06 ERA) vs. Indians RH Trevor Bauer (7-2, 3.02)

Nova answered a rough patch with an encouraging outing versus San Diego, allowing one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision on Saturday. The 29-year-old Dominican kept the ball in the park for the first time since May 1 and fanned seven, accounting for his second-best strikeout total of the season. Nova has split a pair of career decisions versus Cleveland, with his most recent effort resulting in a loss after permitting three runs on six hits in five innings.

Bauer stepped up by scattering two hits over five shutout innings of relief in Cleveland's 2-1 victory in 19 innings over Toronto on Friday. The 25-year-old is 4-0 in his last eight outings, although he has yielded three walks in four of those games. Bauer has also struggled with his control in five career contests versus New York, issuing 16 free passes in 26 1/3 innings en route to posting a 1-3 mark with a 4.78 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York CF Jacoby Ellsbury has recorded multi-hit performances in three of his last four outings and is 3-for-10 in his career versus Bauer.

2. Cleveland INF-OF Jose Ramirez has seven RBIs and six runs scored during his 11-game hitting streak.

3. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius has 14 hits, six RBIs and seven runs scored in his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Yankees 2