Twins at Indians
The Cleveland Indians entered the All-Star break on a roll with a long homestand in front of them, but must earn a victory Sunday afternoon to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins. Max Kepler launched a pair of homers in Saturday’s 6-2 victory as the Twins pushed their lead in the division to 7 1/2 games over the Indians.
Jorge Polanco, who had the go-ahead two-run double in Friday’s 5-3 win, finished with three hits Saturday for Minnesota while versatile teammate Luis Arraez had a pair of singles to extend his hitting streak to eight games (13-for-37). Jose Berrios, who is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA in two games against Cleveland this year, will get a chance to finish off the sweep Sunday and the Indians counter with All-Star Game MVP Shane Bieber. Cleveland had won a season-high six straight games before the break and 11 of 14, but coughed up a lead in Friday’s game and managed just five hits in the setback Saturday to lose its hold of the second wild-card spot in the AL. The good news for the Indians is that Jose Ramirez could be starting to break out of a near-season long slump after homering Saturday to improve to 7-for-21 with three blasts, six runs and five RBIs in his last five contests.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (8-5, 3.00 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shane Bieber (8-3, 3.45)
Berrios is winless in his last five outings despite posting quality starts in four of them while giving up a total of 10 earned runs over 34 innings. The 25-year-old Puerto Rico native, who made his second straight All-Star team earlier in the week, allowed three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings in a loss at Oakland last time out July 4. Carlos Santana is 5-for-14 with a homer versus Berrios, who is 5-2 with a 3.71 ERA in nine career starts against the Indians.
Bieber was outstanding in his last two starts before the break, permitting just two runs on seven hits with 19 strikeouts and zero walks over 16 total innings. The 24-year-old California native boasts 141 strikeouts to go along with 23 walks across 112 1/3 innings overall and served up only one home run in his last five starts. Marwin Gonzalez is 2-for-3 with a homer against Bieber, who is 2-0 with a 4.05 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) versus the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Santana went 0-for-4 on Saturday to end his 30-game on-base streak, but leads the team with 20 homers and 53 RBIs.
2. Minnesota 3B Miguel Sano is riding a 10-game hitting streak, in which he has belted four homers and recorded nine RBIs.
3. Indians Roberto Perez is 9-for-19 during a five-game hitting streak and fellow C Kevin Plawecki is 6-for-11 in his last four contests.