Cleveland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2015 ) Cleveland 1, Minnesota 3

The Minnesota Twins hope to receive another strong pitching performance as they vie for their third straight victory when they host the American League Central-rival Cleveland Indians on Wednesday for the middle contest of their three-game set. After Tyler Duffey scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings in Sunday's victory over the Los Angeles Angels, Ervin Santana yielded one run in seven superb frames as Minnesota posted a 3-1 triumph in Tuesday's series opener.

Aaron Hicks delivered an RBI triple and scored during a three-run third inning as the Twins climbed within two games of Houston for the second AL wild card. Phil Hughes looks to follow the lead of Duffey and Santana for Minnesota, which is 3-5 on its 10-game homestand. Tuesday's loss was a major blow to the postseason hopes of the Indians, who remained 4 1/2 games behind the Astros with 13 to play. Jose Ramirez recorded two hits and an RBI as Cleveland fell below .500 (74-75) with their second defeat in three contests.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (8-14, 3.44 ERA) vs. Twins RH Phil Hughes (10-9, 4.58)

Kluber made his first start since Aug. 29 on Thursday, returning from a hamstring injury to allow three runs - two earned - and five hits over four innings in a loss to Kansas City. The 29-year-old reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is winless in his last four outings despite giving up two earned runs or fewer three times in that stretch. Kluber has not been victorious since tossing back-to-back complete games against the Twins on Aug. 9 and 14, yielding one run in each start while allowing a total of four hits and registering 17 strikeouts to improve to 6-2 lifetime versus Minnesota.

Hughes is coming off his first relief appearance of the season and second since 2011, a two-inning stint against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday in which he yielded a solo home run by Mike Trout. The 29-year-old Californian has lost three consecutive starts, lasting only three innings in each of the last two. One of those short outings came at Cleveland on Aug. 9, when he was tagged for seven runs and nine hits as he fell to 5-3 lifetime against the Indians.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Indians have alternated wins and losses over their last 10 games.

2. Minnesota recalled German-born OF Max Kepler from Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday, but the Southern League MVP who helped the Lookouts win the league championship a day earlier did not make his major-league debut.

3. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley exited Tuesday's series opener in the fourth inning with a shoulder injury.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Twins 4