Minnesota @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2013 ) Minnesota 5, Cleveland 1

The Cleveland Indians used a 6-3 road trip to get back into the American League Central and wild card races, but have been unable to find any answers at home recently. The Indians, who will continue their three-game set against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, are 1-7 in Cleveland since winning 11 straight at home from July 11-Aug. 1. Poor offense has been the culprit during the slide, as the Indians have scored three runs or fewer in six of the seven losses.

Cleveland, which trails the division-leading Detroit Tigers by six games and Oakland Athletics by 2 ½ games in the wild-card chase, will look to cool off the Twins, who have six of their last eight on the road. While catcher Joe Mauer remains on the 7-day concussion list, he was cleared to begin a light exercise program Friday and is scheduled to work with team trainers prior to Saturday’s game. Trevor Plouffe has a nine-game hitting streak in Cleveland and is batting 14-for-36 with three homers over that span.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Liam Hendriks (0-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. Indians RH Zach McAllister (6-7, 3.59)

Minnesota is expected to recall Hendriks from Triple-A Rochester on Saturday after Kyle Gibson was optioned to the minors on Monday. The Australian native settled for a no-decision on Aug. 9 against the Chicago White Sox in his first major-league start since April, allowing two runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. Hendriks ended a 17-game winless drought with his only major-league victory last September versus the Indians – the last of his three career starts against Cleveland.

In an effort to give Scott Kazmir another day of rest, the Indians will push his start back a day and turn to McAllister, who will try to win three straight outings for the first time in his career. The former New York Yankees farmhand yielded a run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 2-1 since coming off the disabled list on July 24. McAllister held the Twins to two runs over six frames in a victory on Aug. 13 – his only win in four all-time outings against Minnesota.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins hitters have struck out 1,086 times and are on pace to break the team’s single-season record of 1,384.

2. Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis is batting .411 (21-for-51) with 18 RBIs against Minnesota this season despite going 0-for-4 in the opener.

3. Twins LF Josh Willingham, who snapped a 0-for-15 slump with an RBI double Friday, is 5-for-7 with three homers and six RBIs against McAllister.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Twins 2