Cleveland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2016 ) Cleveland 0, Texas 9

In a highly anticipated potential playoff preview between the two best teams in the American League, the Texas Rangers scored an impressive opening-round knockout. The Cleveland Indians will attempt to repay the favor Friday as the two of the AL's three division leaders square off in the second of a four-game set in Texas.

Carlos Gomez belted a three-run home run in his first at-bat as a Ranger, while Cole Hamels held the Indians to two singles and struck out eight over eight innings in Thursday's 9-0 series-opening victory. The win also marked the first meeting between Cleveland and All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy since he blocked a deal that would have sent him to Cleveland prior to the trade deadline earlier this month. While West-leading Texas (75-53) increased its lead over Central-best Cleveland (72-54) to two games for the best record in the AL and 7 1/2 games over Seattle in its division with its victory, the Indians dropped their third straight and watched their division lead over Detroit shrink to 4 1/2 games. Cleveland, which boasts the second-highest scoring offense in the AL, has been in a terrible rut lately, scoring one run or fewer in four consecutive games for the first time since June 11-14, 2011.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (13-8, 3.13 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (8-9, 4.27)
Kluber's four-start winning streak came to a halt with a no-decision Sunday versus Toronto as Cleveland rallied late, saving him from a loss during an effort in which managed to allow only two runs despite yielding six hits and four walks across 6 2/3 innings. Still, the former Cy Young Award winner is 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA and 57 strikeouts over his last eight outings. Kluber took the loss versus the Rangers on May 31, surrendering six runs in seven frames to fall to 1-1 with a 4.29 ERA in three starts against them.
Perez continued to struggle away from Texas with Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay, dropping to 1-8 with a 6.23 ERA on the road after giving up six runs over as many innings to the Rays. The 25-year-old Venezuelan has been a completely different pitcher at home, going 7-1 with a 2.36 ERA while sporting a nine-outing unbeaten streak. Perez hasn't faced the Indians since 2013, when he was pounded for seven runs (six earned) in only three frames opposite Kluber in a no-decision.

WALK-OFFS
1. Texas, which has outscored Cleveland 29-10 this season while taking three of the four meetings, is an MLB-best 52-26 against teams currently .500-or-better.
2. All three of the runs the Indians have scored during their offensive drought have come on solo homers.
3. Since a 4-for-5 effort against Oakland on Aug. 16, Rangers RF Carlos Beltran is hitless in 28 at-bats over his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Indians 2