Cleveland @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 30, 2018 ) Cleveland 2, Oakland 7

The Cleveland Indians were rolling along with seven straight wins before heading out onto the road for a nine-game trip to start the week. The American League Central-leading Indians have dropped four of five on their trek and attempt to avoid a three-game sweep against the surging Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon after managing just three runs in the first two contests of the series.

Cleveland coughed up a two-run lead, giving up seven in Oakland’s final three at-bats of a 7-2 decision Saturday, and totaled three hits - two of them solo homers by Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. Mike Clevinger will try to stop the bleeding for the Indians when he goes after his seventh victory of the season while the Athletics counter with fellow right-hander Frankie Montas, who has been up and down in his first six major league starts. Oakland, which visits Cleveland from July 6-8, has strung together six straight wins to creep closer in the race for an AL wild-card spot and move to a season-high eight games over .500 at 46-38. Mark Canha had an RBI double in Saturday’s contest for the Athletics to extend his hitting streak to a career-high nine games, going 11-for-33 during that stretch.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mike Clevinger (6-3, 3.03 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Frankie Montas (4-1, 3.68)

Clevinger saw a five-game unbeaten streak come to an end last Monday when he allowed two runs on six hits and two walks over five innings in a loss at St. Louis. The 27-year-old Citadel product, who lost his lone career start against Oakland last year, has yielded seven runs (six earned) across 26 1/3 innings in his last four trips to the mound with 30 strikeouts. Chad Pinder is 2-for-3 with two homers versus Clevinger, who is 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA in eight road starts in 2018.

Montas has suffered his worst two outings of the season within his past three starts, allowing six runs over three innings in a no-decision at Detroit on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Dominican also allowed seven runs across 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Houston on June 14, but surrendered only four runs combined in his other four starts outside of the two poor performances. Rajai Davis is 2-for-2 versus Montas, who is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three career relief appearances against the Indians.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland INF Jed Lowrie was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks Saturday, but is 10-for-23 with three homers and six RBIs over his last six contests.

2. The Indians are just 17-24 on the road and have scored 10 times during the first five games of their trip.

3. The Athletics belted three homers Saturday to reach 40 at home while leading the majors with 72 on the road.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Athletics 3