Cleveland @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2018 ) Cleveland 2, Tampa Bay 0

The Cleveland Indians visit the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon for the rubber match of a three-game set that features a pair of Cy Young candidates who total 34 victories this season. Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco goes for his 17th victory and the Rays counter with 18-game winner Blake Snell in a matchup of pitchers that have dominated at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay.

Snell is tied for the major league lead in wins with Corey Kluber of the Indians while owning a 9-1 record and a 1.23 ERA at home this season and Carrasco is 4-0 with a 1.11 ERA in his career at Tampa Bay. American League Central-leading Cleveland evened the series with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday, ending the Rays’ franchise-record 12-game winning streak at home and reducing its magic number to three. Edwin Encarnacion reached 30 homers for the seventh straight season Tuesday and Indians teammate Michael Brantley singled to improve to seven hits in his last four games. The Rays dropped 8 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second wild card in the AL, but outfielder Tommy Pham extended his hitting streak to 15 games - going 25-for-62 during the run.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (16-8, 3.41 ERA) vs. Rays LH Blake Snell (18-5, 2.06)

Carrasco gave up five runs and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings to lose against Tampa Bay on Sept. 2 and rebounded with eight frames of two-run ball in a no-decision five days later versus Toronto. The 31-year-old Venezuelan went 4-2 with a 1.85 ERA in August after winning all four of his decisions in July. C.J. Cron is 2-for-3 with a homer against Carrasco, who is 4-4 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 career games (nine starts) versus the Rays.

Snell continues to make a strong case for a Cy Young while winning six straight starts, allowing six runs combined during that stretch. The 25-year-old Washington native gave up two runs and five hits with nine strikeouts last time out to beat Baltimore after holding Cleveland to two runs across 6 2/3 frames on Sept. 1. Josh Donaldson has a homer versus Snell, who is 1-1 with a 1.83 ERA in three career starts against Cleveland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Donaldson played 3B and went 0-for-4 in his debut with the Indians on Tuesday, while Jose Ramirez moved to 2B and Jason Kipnis to CF.

2. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier, who owns a seven-game hitting streak, is day-to-day after missing the last two contests due to illness.

3. The Rays lead the season series 3-2 with one game left and can win it for the first time against Cleveland since 2013.

PREDICTION: Indians 3, Rays 2