Tigers at Indians
The Cleveland Indians have a chance to move a season-high six games above .500 when they continue a three-game series against the visiting Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon. The Indians have won six of eight overall, including four straight against the Tigers over that span, after erasing a three-run deficit and squeezing out a 7-6 victory in the series opener.
Jason Kipnis collected his eighth RBI during a four-game hitting streak with a run-scoring triple to snap a 5-5 tie in Friday's opener of a six-game homestand. Carlos Santana homered for the second straight game and Tyler Naquin also went deep for Cleveland (40-35), which has outscored Detroit 32-12 over the past eight days. Christin Stewart went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs in another crushing defeat for the Tigers, who squandered a six-run lead in an 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Brandon Dixon homered for the second straight game for Detroit, which has been torched 51 runs while losing six of their last seven.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Spencer Turnbull (3-6, 3.27 ERA) vs. Indians RH Aaron Civale (NR)
Turnbull gets a chance to atone for an ugly outing against the Indians on Sunday when he was pounded for six earned runs and 10 hits - both season worsts - over five innings to drop to 1-4 over his last nine starts. The 26-year-old has pitched better away from Comerica Park, sporting a 3-2 mark and 2.43 ERA in seven road starts as opposed to 0-4 with a 4.07 ERA at home. Santana is 3-for-5 off Turnbull, who gave up three runs over four innings in a loss to the Indians on April 11.
With the decision to place Mike Clevinger (ankle) back on the injured list Friday, the Indians will call up Aaron Civale from Triple-A Columbus to make his major-league debut. A third-round pick in 2016, he was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA at Columbus after posting a 4-0 record with a 2.67 ERA in five starts at Double-A Akron. “He doesn’t have a lot of Triple-A experience, like (Sunday's scheduled starter Zach) Plesac, but that doesn’t mean he can’t help us win,” manager Terry Francona said.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians OF Jordan Luplow homered Friday to extend his hitting streak to six games.
2. Tigers 3B Nicholas Castellanos is 9-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak.
3. Cleveland C Roberto Perez has 12 RBIs over his last 12 games.