Philadelphia @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2019 ) Philadelphia 9, Cleveland 4

The Philadelphia Phillies kept their faint playoff hopes alive after a big hit from Bryce Harper, and they will go after a series victory Sunday night when they visit the Cleveland Indians for the rubber match. Harper launched a three-run homer to give Philadelphia the lead as the Phillies went on to post a 9-4 victory to remain five games behind Milwaukee for the National League’s second wild card with nine to play.

Harper boasts 33 homers - the third-most by any player in their first season with the Phillies and one behind Raul Ibanez for second - while former Indians Brad Miller (two) and Jay Bruce (one) also went deep in the victory as Philadelphia improved to 11-8 in interleague contests. Vince Velasquez gets the ball for the Phillies in the series finale, while the Indians counter with fellow right-hander Adam Plutko, who looks to improve his career-high total to eight victories in his 19th start of the season. Cleveland built a 4-1 lead after two innings but managed just one hit the rest of the way to see its five-game winning streak come to an end and drop one game behind Tampa Bay for the American League’s second wild card. Rookie center fielder Oscar Mercado belted a two-run homer in the second inning for the Indians on Saturday and is 24-for-66 with 13 runs, 13 RBIs and three home runs in his last 16 contests.

TV: 6:37 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (7-7, 4.89 ERA) vs. Indians RH Adam Plutko (7-4, 4.34)

Velasquez is unbeaten in his last six outings after limiting Atlanta to two runs on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over five innings Tuesday for a win. The 27-year-old has not completed more than five frames over his last seven appearances since a seven-inning, two-run performance Aug. 5 against Arizona. Ryan Flaherty is 3-for-6 with a homer versus Velasquez, who is 1-1 with a 1.46 ERA in two career outings against the Indians.

Plutko has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts, including Tuesday when he held Detroit to a pair over six innings to earn the victory. The UCLA product, who is 3-1 with a 3.76 ERA over seven starts since Aug. 15, has served up 22 homers across 19 appearances (18 starts) overall this season. Plutko faces Philadelphia for the first time in his career and is 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA in three interleague games (two starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland C Roberto Perez, who was rested Saturday, has multiple hits in four of his last six games and is batting .362 in September.

2. Philadelphia 2B Cesar Hernandez had a single Saturday and is 13-for-36 with seven RBIs while hitting safely in eight of his last nine games.

3. Indians 3B Jose Ramirez, out since Aug. 24 with a broken hand, could return as early as Sunday after taking batting practice Saturday.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Phillies 4