Cleveland @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 22, 2016 ) Cleveland 1, Baltimore 5

Josh Tomlin has made himself at home on the road and the 31-year-old looks to continue his charmed life away from Progressive Field on Saturday when the Cleveland Indians attempt to even their three-game series against the host Baltimore Orioles. Tomlin owns a 6-0 road mark with a 2.44 ERA this season for the American League Central-leading Indians, who dropped a 5-1 decision in the series opener on Friday to fall to 4-3 on their nine-game road trip.

Mark Trumbo belted his majors-best 29th homer and Manny Machado also went deep on Friday, increasing Baltimore's league-leading total to 144 after the team failed to go deep in its previous three games. While the Orioles have answered a four-game skid by winning each of the last two contests, Cleveland has dropped seven of its last 12. Tyler Naquin and All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor certainly have done their part to pick up the Indians. The former is 9-for-18 with three homers, seven RBIs and six runs scored during his five-game hitting streak while the latter is 6-for-20 with two homers, four RBIs and five runs scored in his last five contests.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), MASN2 (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (10-2, 3.34 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Kevin Gausman (1-7, 4.05)

Tomlin answered a brutal start with an impressive one on Sunday, following up an eight-run performance in a 12-2 loss to Detroit prior to the All-Star break by allowing one run on six hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 6-1 rout of Minnesota. The dominating result improved Tomlin to 3-1 with a 2.89 ERA in his last eight trips to the mound. The veteran hurler has struggled keeping the ball in the park, however, as Tomlin has surrendered 12 homers in his last seven outings.

Gausman's hard-luck season continued on Monday as the 25-year-old took the loss despite allowing just two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 setback at the New York Yankees. The LSU product was taken deep for the fourth time in three outings when Alex Rodriguez homered in the second, but otherwise has pitched well in that stretch (19 strikeouts and two walks in 17 2/3 innings). Gausman was in top form in his last encounter with Cleveland, permitting just one run on two hits in six innings to pick up the win on Aug. 17, 2014.

WALK-OFFS

1. Although Cleveland owns a 30-13 record versus the AL Central, it has losing records versus both the East (11-12) and West (7-9).

2. Baltimore has battered the AL Central to the tune of a 17-6 mark.

3. The Indians placed RHP Joe Colon (right shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled fellow RHP Cody Anderson for Triple-A Columbus.

PREDICTION: Indians 3, Orioles 2