Cleveland @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( May 13, 2018 ) Kansas City 2, Cleveland 11

The Cleveland Indians are running away with the American League Central and just began swinging the bats well. The Indians will try to stay hot at the plate when they visit the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

Cleveland pounded out a major-league, season-high 11 doubles and 13 extra-base hits in a 15-3 bludgeoning of Oakland on Sunday to push its lead to nine games in the AL Central. "It was great," said Francisco Lindor, who homered among three hits on Sunday. "Hopefully, this gets us going in the right direction. Guys were on the right path. Guys felt very comfortable today." The Royals are last in the majors in runs scored and managed a total of five while getting swept in a three-game series at Seattle over the weekend, dropping the team 33 games below .500 (25-58). That struggling Kansas City offense gets the misfortune of facing reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber on Monday while countering with fellow right-hander Jakob Junis.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (11-4, 2.54 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jakob Junis (5-9, 4.67)

Kluber threw up a rare dud at St. Louis on Tuesday, when he was ripped for six runs on six hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings - the shortest of his 180 career starts. The Stetson product allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his previous eight turns and owns a 0.86 WHIP. Kluber did not yield an earned run over seven innings in a win over Kansas City on May 13 and won both of his starts against the Royals last season while posting a 0.73 ERA.

Junis has suffered the loss in each of his last six starts and was reached for five runs on seven hits - including three homers - and three walks over five innings at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has surrendered at least five runs in three of his last four outings and failed to complete six innings in any of those turns. Junis suffered a loss at Cleveland on May 12, when he yielded four runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals LF Alex Gordon is 2-for-19 over his last six games.

2. Lindor is 6-for-12 with five runs scored and five extra-base hits over the last three contests.

3. Cleveland optioned RHP Adam Plutko to Triple-A Columbus on Sunday and recalled LHP Marc Rzepczynski.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Royals 1