Cleveland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2013 ) Cleveland 6, Minnesota 5

The Cleveland Indians are on the verge of clinching their first playoff berth since 2007, and would love to do it in enough time to set themselves up for the one-game wild-card playoff. The Indians will try to extend their lead when they visit the Minnesota Twins again on Friday. Cleveland is a game up on the Texas Rangers for the second wild card with three games left in the regular season.

Should the Indians clinch prior to Sunday, the team will likely hold back Ubaldo Jimenez from his scheduled start that day and let him go in the one-game playoff. Cleveland is taking advantage of its weak season-ending schedule and is riding a seven-game winning streak at the expense of Houston, Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox. The Twins are losers of seven of eight and were on the opposite side when both the Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers clinched playoff spots in the last week.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (10-5, 3.61 ERA) vs. Twins LH Pedro Hernandez (3-2, 6.05)

Kluber does not own a loss since June 27 but is struggling to pitch deep into games, topping out at 5 1/3 innings in his last four starts. The 27-year-old allowed two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 frames to earn a win over Houston on Sunday. Kluber went five scoreless at Minnesota on July 20, surrendering three hits while striking out seven in a no-decision.

Hernandez is attempting to make his case for a rotation spot in 2014 but is winless in four turns since rejoining the team in the beginning of the month. The 24-year-old Venezuelan was lit up for six runs on eight hits in two innings to suffer a loss at Oakland last Saturday. Hernandez’s last win came at Cleveland on June 23, when he held the Indians to two runs on three hits and a season-high six walks in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins OF Oswaldo Arcia (knee) had an MRI exam come back clean and hopes to play this weekend.

2. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley is batting .500 during his 10-game hitting streak and is 12-for-18 over the last four contests.

3. Minnesota LF Josh Willingham is battling a minor foot injury and is 1-for-16 with seven strikeouts in his last four games.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Twins 4