Indians at Tigers
The Cleveland Indians go after their first series sweep since April when they visit the struggling Detroit Tigers for the finale of a three-game set between American League Central rivals Sunday afternoon. Cleveland recorded 13 runs to win the series opener before grinding out a 4-2 triumph Saturday for its seven win in 10 games overall, and improved to 44-17 against the Tigers since the start of the 2016 season.
Carlos Santana takes a 10-game hitting streak into Sunday while teammate Francisco Lindor is 18-for-51 in June for the Indians, who evened their record at 16-16 on the road after taking the first two games of the series. Trevor Bauer looks to end his long winless drought when he takes the mound for Cleveland on Sunday and faces fellow right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who has managed one victory since the beginning of May. Detroit has dropped three in a row, five of six and 10 of its last 13 after Miguel Cabrera recorded three of the team’s six hits in Saturday’s setback while pushing his career batting average against the Indians to .332 with 46 homers and 153 RBIs in 193 games. Nicholas Castellanos has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games for the Tigers and teammate Brandon Dixon knocked in two runs Saturday, registering at least an RBI for the seventh time in his past nine contests.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (4-6, 3.71 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Spencer Turnbull (3-5, 2.78)
Bauer is winless in his last eight trips to the mound despite allowing one run on six hits and five walks over 7 2/3 innings Tuesday against Cincinnati. The 28-year-old UCLA product posted four quality starts during his winless streak and last recorded a win April 30 at Miami. Cabrera is 11-for-32 with a homer versus Bauer, who is 8-6 with a 5.67 ERA in his career against Detroit after giving up four runs over 5 2/3 innings in a loss April 10.
Turnbull permitted four hits and two walks over six scoreless innings Tuesday at Kansas City, but settled for a no-decision in a 3-2 setback. The 26-year-old Alabama University product has one victory in his last eight starts despite yielding 15 earned runs during that stretch. Leonys Martin is 2-for-3 with a homer and Santana 2-for-2 against Turnbull, who suffered the loss to Cleveland on April 11 after giving up three runs on eight hits across four innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Tigers have hit 18 triples this season, second-most in the AL, but are 29th out of 30 teams in the majors with 239 runs.
2. Martin stole home Saturday and is 7-for-19 with six runs scored, three homers and six RBIs against the Tigers in 2019.
3. Detroit 3B Jeimer Candelario (shoulder) was activated from the 10-day injured list Saturday and optioned to Triple-A Toledo.