Minnesota @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2018 ) Minnesota 2, Cleveland 5

Francisco Lindor has another highlight to add to an already memorable season and looks to finish off a red-hot series with a big effort when his Cleveland Indians host the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon for the finale of their four-game set. Lindor launched a three-run, walk-off homer in the ninth inning Wednesday to give the American League Central-leading Indians a 5-2 victory and is 6-for-14 with two blasts in the series.

The All-Star shortstop is riding a six-game hitting streak during which he has gone 10-for-25 and is one shot shy of recording back-to-back 30-homer campaigns after improving his season average to .297 with his fourth straight two-hit performance. Corey Kluber, who is 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 13 home starts this year, looks to toss his second straight shutout when he takes the mound for Cleveland against Minnesota ace Jose Berrios on Thursday. The Twins have won eight of 15 meetings with the Indians this season but sit 10 games back in the AL Central after going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday. Miguel Sano homered and doubled for Minnesota in the setback and is 10-for-29 with six walks, four RBIs and seven runs scored over his last nine contests.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (11-8, 3.51 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (14-6, 2.63)

Berrios has posted four quality starts in his last six outings, including Saturday's turn in which he limited Kansas City to two runs over seven innings en route to victory. The 24-year-old Puerto Rican has permitted fewer than three runs in seven of his last 11 outings, going 5-3 with eight quality starts in that stretch. Edwin Encarnacion is just 1-for-9 but has homered against Berrios, who is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts versus Cleveland this year.

Kluber registered his first shutout of the season and the seventh of his career on Saturday, when he held the Los Angeles Angels to three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. The 32-year-old native of Alabama has given up one run over 16 1/3 innings in his last two starts after going winless in the previous three. Joe Mauer is 16-for-54 with two homers and five doubles versus Kluber, who is 9-6 with a 3.36 ERA in 21 career starts against the Twins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota INF Logan Forsythe is 9-for-20 with three RBIs during his six-game hitting streak after going 0-for-1 in his team debut on Aug. 1.

2. Cleveland CF Leonys Martin, who has gone 5-for-15 with two homers since being acquired from Detroit, sat out Wednesday due to illness.

3. Twins MGR Paul Molitor needs one win to pass Frank Quilici (280) for fifth place on the club’s all-time list.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Twins 2