Indians at Twins
The Minnesota Twins received a strong pitching effort to end a season-high losing streak and will hand the ball to their ace with a chance to split the four-game series with the visiting Cleveland Indians on Sunday afternoon. Jake Odorizzi and two relievers scattered eight hits as the Twins earned a 4-1 victory Saturday night to regain the top spot in the American League Central by one game over Cleveland.
Marwin Gonzalez and Max Kepler launched solo homers in Saturday’s victory for Minnesota, which was outscored 36-21 during its four-game losing streak, and Jose Berrios will go after his third win against the Indians this season in the finale. Cleveland will send rookie Aaron Civale to the hill, following two outstanding performances to begin his major-league career, after losing for just the 17th time in 58 contests since June 3 when it sat 11 1/2 games behind the Twins in the division. Yasiel Puig recorded three hits Saturday, including his first homer for the Indians, and is 14-for-37 with five RBIs and five runs since arriving from Cincinnati at the trade deadline. Jason Kipnis had a single Saturday and owns 17 RBIs in his last 12 contests, while teammate Jose Ramirez has eight runs, eight RBIs and seven doubles in his last nine games for Cleveland.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Aaron Civale (1-1, 0.75 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jose Berrios (10-6, 3.24)
Civale suffered a hard-luck 1-0 loss against Texas in his second major-league start last Monday, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts across six innings. The 24-year-old Connecticut native blanked Detroit on two hits over six innings in his big-league debut on June 22 with six strikeouts and three walks. This will be his first road start with the Indians for Civale, who is 7-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 13 minor-league starts this season at two levels.
Berrios must rebound from his worst start of the season Tuesday when he permitted nine runs on nine hits (two homers) and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. The 25-year-old Puerto Rico native had given up just three runs (two earned) across 19 2/3 total innings with a pair of wins in his previous three outings. Carlos Santana is 5-for-15 with three extra-base hits against Berrios, who is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three starts versus Cleveland in 2019.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland’s Roberto Perez needs one homer to become the sixth catcher in franchise history with 20 in a single season.
2. The Twins have registered an extra-base hit in 71 consecutive games after posting four on Saturday.
3. The Indians placed A.J. Cole (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow RHP Hunter Wood from Triple-A Columbus.