New York @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2018 ) NY Yankees 7, Cleveland 4

The New York Yankees hope to continue their torrid power surge when they visit the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians on Friday night for the second of a four-game series. The Yankees belted three homers - two from Brett Gardner - in Thursday’s 7-4 triumph and own 26 in 12 contests this month to increase their season total to 157 - 26 more than any other team in the majors.

Didi Gregorius hit the other longball for New York on Thursday - only his second in the last 26 games after launching 14 in his first 61 outings this season, and extended his hitting streak to seven contests. Domingo German will try to match his performance against the Indians on May 6 when he struck out nine over six hitless innings, while Cleveland counters with impressive rookie Shane Bieber. The Indians own a comfortable 7 1/2-game lead atop the AL Central but have dropped five of their last six and allowed 37 runs during that stretch. Jose Ramirez belted his 28th homer in the series opener for Cleveland to tie Boston’s J.D. Martinez for the major-league lead.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Domingo German (2-4, 5.06 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shane Bieber (4-1, 3.47)

German has posted four quality starts in his last six chances and is 2-0 with a 4.59 ERA over his last seven outings after starting the season 0-4 with a 5.44 mark. The 25-year-old Dominican held Toronto to one run on four hits and two walks across six innings with five strikeouts Sunday but was not involved in the decision as the Yankees won 2-1. Yonder Alonso is the only Cleveland player with a hit against German in his career.

Bieber suffered his first major-league defeat Sunday when he permitted four runs on eight hits over six innings in a 6-0 setback against Oakland. The 23-year-old Californian had won four consecutive starts before that outing, yielding six runs on 29 hits over 24 2/3 frames with 23 strikeouts. Bieber, who has managed to thrive despite allowing opponents to bat .304 against him overall, is 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA in his first three big-league starts at home.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland SS Francisco Lindor boasts 25 homers, which is the most by a shortstop in the first half since Alex Rodriguez hit 27 in 2002.

2. New York OF Aaron Judge has hit safely in seven straight contests (9-for-29) but is without a homer in his past six outings.

3. Indians DH Edwin Encarnacion snapped a nine-game homer drought with a solo blast in Thursday’s setback.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Yankees 4