Chicago @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2013 ) Cleveland 7, Chi. White Sox 1

The Cleveland Indians have a great opportunity to solidify their playoff positioning when they open a two-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Cleveland has defeated its American League Central rivals an alarming 12 straight times on three four-game sweeps, the longest winning streak in the history of the series. The Indians are coming off another four-game sweep of Houston, which helped vault the club into the second spot in the AL wild card race.

Cleveland was idle Monday and watched Tampa Bay pull a game ahead for the first wild card spot and Texas move within one game of the Indians. Manager Terry Francona's club is 14-5 in its last 19 games and has won 11 of 15 at home. The White Sox are coming off a 3-2 win over Toronto in a makeup game Monday, putting Chicago on the verge of its first three-game winning streak in more than a month.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, WCIU (Chicago), STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Hector Santiago (4-9, 3.53 ERA) vs. Indians RH Ubaldo Jimenez (12-9, 3.39)

Santiago has thrown just 12 2/3 innings total in his last three starts, allowing nine runs on 18 hits and 10 walks in the process. He has just one more strikeout than walk over his past six outings combined. The 25-year-old has given up eight runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings against Cleveland in 2013.

Jimenez's resurgence has been one of the catalysts for the Indians down the stretch. He is 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA in four starts this month and owns a 1.77 mark in 11 outings since the All-Star break. Jimenez yielded one run in 8 1/3 innings while fanning eight at Chicago on Sept. 14.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians 1B Nick Swisher is 2-for-3 with five walks in eight plate appearances against Santiago.

2. White Sox INF Marcus Semien, who belted his first career home run Monday, has hit safely in 10 of his first 12 starts in the majors.

3. Cleveland outscored Chicago by a 90-39 margin in the three straight four-game sweeps.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, White Sox 3