Minnesota @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2014 ) Minnesota 0, Cleveland 0
The Cleveland Indians were able to get away with meager run support as they were making a playoff push in late August, but their offensive woes have cost them in September. The Indians, who conclude their three-game home set with a doubleheader against the Twins on Thursday, closed August by winning seven of eight despite scoring three runs or fewer five times. Cleveland has failed to top the three-run mark seven times this month and suffered four of its five September losses in those games.
The Indians trail Kansas City by 5 1/2 games in the American League Central and also are 4 1/2 behind Detroit in the race for the second wild card, making the final two games of this series following Wednesday's rainout critical as they hit the road for 10 in a row starting Friday. Minnesota won for only the fourth time in its last 16 games in the opener, getting all of its hits and runs off Indians starter Trevor Bauer over a span of four at-bats in a 4-3 victory. Despite being 20 games below .500, the last-place Twins (62-82) are 30-31 in the division and have split 14 meetings with Cleveland.
TV: 12:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (11-10, 4.27 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (14-9, 2.47)
One poor inning caught up to Gibson in a no-decision Thursday after he surrendered all four of his runs in the fourth inning of a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The University of Missouri alum gave up at least four runs for the third time in his last four outings during his seven-inning effort, but has yielded only nine home runs all season – including three since the All-Star break. Gibson is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts this season versus the Indians, but was fortunate to come away with a no-decision after allowing five runs against them Aug. 19.
Kluber snapped a three-start losing streak Saturday, holding the Chicago White Sox to an unearned run on five hits while striking out eight en route to his third complete-game win. The 28-year-old Alabama native, who is tied with Washington’s Stephen Strasburg for third in the majors in strikeouts (223), cited a slight change in his mechanics as the reason for his recent struggles after surrendering 11 runs (eight earned) in his previous three outings. Kluber took the loss in his only turn versus the Twins on Aug. 21 – giving up three runs over seven innings and is 2-2 with a 4.67 ERA in eight all-time starts against them.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota has scored a major league-leading 202 runs since the beginning of August.
2. Indians All-Star LF Michael Brantley, who saw his 12-game hitting streak halted Tuesday, is 1-for-22 in his last six games against Minnesota.
3. Twins 1B Joe Mauer is a career .341 hitter in 124 games against Cleveland and 7-for-16 at Progressive Field this season.
PREDICTION: Indians 4, Twins 2