Cleveland @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2016 ) Detroit 9, Cleveland 5

Ace Corey Kluber goes to the mound as his Cleveland Indians attempt to clinch their first American League Central title since 2007 on Monday when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the first of four games. Kluber, who is 3-0 against the second-place Tigers in 2016, can notch his career-high 19th victory as the Indians begin a seven-game road trip to end the regular season.

Cleveland lost its last two games to the Chicago White Sox, including a 3-0 shutout on Sunday, to spoil a celebration at home. However, the Indians have won 13 of 15 games overall against Detroit this season and all six at Comerica Park by a combined score of 40-13. The Tigers gave up 19 runs in two straight losses to Kansas City over the weekend to drop 1 ½ games behind Baltimore for the AL’s second wild card, but finish the season with three contests at the National League-worst Atlanta Braves after battling with Cleveland. Detroit has produced 51 runs in the last seven games – winning the first five – and former Indian Victor Martinez is 7-for-14 with three homers and nine RBIs in his last five outings.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, STO (Cleveland), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.11 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Buck Farmer (0-0, 4.07)

Kluber tries for his fourth straight victory and has been one of the league’s top pitchers since July with 10 wins in his last 11 decisions and a 9-1 record after the All-Star break. The 30-year-old Alabama native, who has 46 strikeouts in his last five games, owns a 1.88 ERA against the Tigers this season. Miguel Cabrera is 20-for-45 with five homers and 10 RBIs versus Kluber, who is 8-4 with a 2.97 ERA on the road in 2016.

Farmer makes his first start of the season and eighth of his career after being used in a relief role 13 times in 2016. The 25-year-old Georgia Tech product pitched 4 1/3 scoreless versus Minnesota in his last appearance on Sept. 13, but the Tigers lost the last nine times he took the mound. Slumping Francisco Lindor and Tyler Naquin are both 2-for-3 with a homer against Farmer, who lost his only start against Cleveland last year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit CF Cameron Maybin is 14-for-27 with five RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.

2. Cleveland 1B-DH Carlos Santana is batting .322 since Aug. 31 and boasts a .433 on-base percentage against the Tigers this season.

3. Detroit LF Justin Upton belted three homers in the three-game series at Cleveland earlier this month and has 10 blasts in 21 September contests.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Tigers 2