Cleveland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 16, 2015 ) Cleveland 1, Minnesota 4

The Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Indians are still alive in the race for the second American League wild card, but time is running out. The Twins will try to gain on the Houston Astros and knock the Indians back when they host the opener of a three-game series Tuesday.

Minnesota (76-73) stands three games behind the Astros for the second wild card while Cleveland (74-74) is 4 1/2 back with less than two weeks left in the regular season. The Twins seemed to be doing all they could to play themselves out of the race with a five-game losing streak before recovering with an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The Indians don’t seem to be in much of a rush to make up the ground either, trading wins and losses over the last nine games just as their .500 record would suggest. Cleveland, which has lost seven of the 12 meetings with Minnesota this season, sends Danny Santana to the mound Tuesday while the Twins counter with Ervin Santana.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Danny Salazar (13-8, 3.48 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (5-4, 4.55)

Salazar put together his best start of the month against Kansas City on Wednesday, scattering one run and four hits across seven innings to pick up the win. The 25-year-old Dominican battled through some inconsistency at the end of August and beginning of September but has posted back-to-back quality starts. Salazar had one of his best starts the last time he faced Minnesota on May 10, allowing one run and one hit while matching a season high with 11 strikeouts in seven frames.

Santana is in a groove at the moment and is 3-0 with a total of five runs allowed in 29 innings over his last four starts. The 32-year-old Dominican fought his control a bit with four walks Wednesday but limited the damage to two runs in seven innings against Detroit. Santana endured his worst start of the season in Cleveland on Aug. 8, surrendering eight runs and 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins RHP Phil Hughes (back) will start in place of LHP Tommy Milone (shoulder) on Wednesday.

2. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis is 6-for-13 in the last three games - one more hit than he managed in his previous 11 contests.

3. Minnesota RF Torii Hunter has recorded multiple hits six times during a nine-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Indians 4