Tampa Bay @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( May 11, 2014 ) Cleveland 6, Tampa Bay 5

The Cleveland Indians still are mathematically alive in the postseason race, but several things need to break in their favor. The Indians will try to take care of the one thing they control by earning a win when they host the opener of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Cleveland is three games behind the Oakland Athletics with as many to play and would need to leap over the Seattle Mariners as well.

The Rays are stumbling to the finish with five losses in their last seven games and have watched the pitching staff break down of late. Tampa’s staff went over 3 1/2 months without surrendering double-figure runs but did so three times in the last four games, including back-to-back 11-run implosions in Boston on Wednesday and Thursday. The Indians nearly let their chances slip away with losses in the first two of a three-game series against Kansas City earlier this week but bounced back with a 6-4 victory in Wednesday’s finale.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (10-8, 3.42 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (17-9, 2.53)

Archer is finishing strong and held the Chicago White Sox to two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings to earn a win on Saturday. The former Cleveland draft pick is celebrating his 26th birthday on Friday while trying to lock up his fourth straight quality start. Archer faced the Indians on May 11 and allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks in five innings to absorb the loss.

Kluber is getting his final chance to sway AL Cy Young Award voters and is coming off back-to-back 14-strikeout efforts while winning four straight. The 28-year-old is second in the majors with 258 strikeouts and has allowed a total of five runs in 30 1/3 innings over the last four outings. Kluber struck out nine in 6 2/3 frames while surrendering two runs to beat Tampa Bay on May 9.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays SS Yunel Escobar (bruised knee) will not play over the weekend.

2. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley needs one hit to reach 200 and is riding a 15-game hitting streak.

3. Tampa Bay C Curt Casali (concussion) is unlikely to return this season.

PREDICTION: Indians 7, Rays 1