Cleveland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2013 ) Cleveland 4, Chi. White Sox 3

The Cleveland Indians have treated the Chicago White Sox to one blowout loss and a pair of late-inning heartbreakers in the last two days. The visiting Indians will be looking to add to their American League Central rival's woes on Sunday when they vie for a sweep of the four-game series. Cleveland took the opener of a doubleheader 19-10 on Friday, overcame a three-run deficit in the ninth in the nightcap and blasted past a two-run deficit on Saturday.

Jason Kipnis has recorded six RBIs in the first three games and extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a tying two-run homer in Saturday’s contest. Nick Swisher has enjoyed a strong series as well, hitting a go-ahead solo homer in the ninth inning of Friday’s nightcap and clubbing the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth during Saturday’s 4-3 triumph. Chicago has dropped four straight and 12 of its last 16 games.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.76 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (5-6, 2.75)

Masterson will be trying to bounce back from a rough outing at Baltimore on Tuesday, when he was lit up for six runs in 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss. The sinkerball specialist surrendered a pair of home runs in that start and tends to run into trouble when he leaves the ball up in the zone. Masterson twirled a five-hit shutout against Chicago on April 12 and won again at the White Sox 10 days later, allowing two runs in seven frames.

Sale has gone five straight starts without a win and did not factor in the decision last time out despite striking out 13 batters in eight innings. The 24-year-old has received an average of 2.6 runs of support in his last five turns. Sale endured his worst outing of the season at Cleveland on April 13, when he was knocked around for eight runs on as many hits in 4 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland RHP Chris Perez returned to the closer role with a perfect ninth on Saturday. Vinnie Pestano, who had taken over the job while Perez was on the disabled list, had worked both ends of Friday’s doubleheader.

2. Chicago 1B Paul Konerko (back) has missed five straight games.

3. Kipnis has raised his average from .265 to .299 during his hitting streak.

PREDICTION: White Sox 4, Indians 2