Minnesota @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2016 ) Minnesota 4, Cleveland 5

One year after leading the American League in losses, Corey Kluber is resembling the pitcher that won the Cy Young Award in 2014 for the Cleveland Indians. Kluber goes for his 15th victory and looks to win his seventh consecutive decision as the host Indians attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the spiraling Minnesota Twins on Wednesday.

Kluber is 4-0 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts in August for Cleveland, which remains 4 1/2 games in front of the Detroit Tigers atop the AL Central. The Indians could use another strong outing from Kluber after their bullpen turned in 7 1/3 scoreless innings in Tuesday's 5-4 victory. Cleveland finally got untracked offensively after scoring one run or fewer in seven of its previous eight games, getting a three-run homer from Rajai Davis to erase a three-run deficit and hand the skidding Twins their 12th straight loss. Minnesota hasn't dropped 13 in a row since the 1961 season and is two losses from matching the franchise record of 14 straight defeats set in 1982.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Pat Dean (1-4, 6.24 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (14-8, 3.07)

Making his first start in more than two months, Dean was hit hard early and often in a loss in Toronto, getting shelled for six runs on eight hits while coughing up a pair of homers in a three-inning stint. It was Dean's fourth appearance since his recall from the minors, with the first three coming out of the bullpen. His lone win came at Seattle on May 27, when he allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings.

Kluber dropped to 2-5 on the season after giving up four runs over 6 2/3 innings in a loss to the Twins on May 14, but he has turned things around with a streak of nine straight quality starts. The 30-year-old improved to 6-0 in that span by limiting Texas to one run and five hits over six innings on Friday. Trevor Plouffe is 13-for-42 with three homers and 10 RBIs against Kluber, who is 6-5 with a 3.76 ERA versus the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland reportedly has reached an agreement with Oakland to acquire OF Coco Crisp, who played his first four seasons with the Indians.

2. Plouffe has hit safely in five straight games and boasts multiple hits in four in a row.

3. Indians 2B Jason Kipnis followed off his walk-off single in the series opener with a homer Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to five games.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Twins 3