The Cleveland Indians were able to get away with meager run support as they were making a playoff push in late August, but their offensive woes have cost them in September. The Indians, who continue their three-game home set against the Twins on Wednesday, closed last month by winning seven of eight despite scoring three runs or fewer five times. Cleveland has failed to top the three-run mark seven times this month and suffered four of its five September losses in those games.
The Indians trail American League Central co-leaders Kansas City and Detroit by five games in the American League Central and also are five behind the same teams in the race for the second wild card, making the final two games of this series critical as they hit the road for 10 in a row after they finish with the Twins. Minnesota won for only the fourth time in its last 16 games in the opener, getting all of its hits and runs off Indians starter Trevor Bauer over a span of four at-bats in a 4-3 win. Despite being 20 games under .500 overall, the last-place Twins (62-82) are 30-31 in the division and have split 14 meetings with Cleveland.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (11-10, 4.27 ERA) vs. Indians LH T.J. House (2-3, 3.71)
One poor inning caught up to Gibson in a no-decision on Thursday after he surrendered all four of his runs in the fourth inning of a 5-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The University of Missouri alum gave up at least four runs for the third time in his last four outings during his seven-inning effort, but has yielded only nine home runs all season – including three since the All-Star break. Gibson is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts this season versus the Indians, but was fortunate to come away with a no-decision after allowing five runs against them on Aug. 19.
House held his own in his head-to-head duel with Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale on Friday, permitting one run on seven hits while striking out seven in as many innings in a no-decision during Cleveland’s 2-1 victory. The 24-year-old rookie has yielded only one run in each of his last two turns and been sharp at home, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in six appearances (five starts). House has faced the Twins twice in 2014, securing his first and only win during his four-game unbeaten streak after tossing 5 1/3 scoreless frames at Minnesota on Aug. 20.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota has scored a major league-leading 202 runs since the beginning of August.
2. Indians All-Star LF Michael Brantley, who saw his 12-game hitting streak halted Tuesday, is 1-for-22 in his last six games against Minnesota.
3. Twins 1B Joe Mauer is a career .341 hitter in 124 games against Cleveland and 7-for-16 at Progressive Field this season.