Indians at Athletics
The Cleveland Indians hope to expand their lead in the American League Central when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Friday for the opener of their three-game series. Cleveland begins the second half of the season 2 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the division as it kicks off a six-game trip to the Bay Area.
The Indians completed a 3-3 homestand prior to the All-Star break with a 5-3 setback to Detroit on Sunday but also lost their RBI leader in Lonnie Chisenhall (51), who is expected to be placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right calf. Oakland was unable to escape the AL West basement last weekend as it settled for a split of its four-game series at Seattle. The Athletics look to continue going in the right direction at home, however, as they've won their last two there following an eight-game slide. Oakland lost three of four at Cleveland earlier this season, getting outscored 22-7 in the defeats.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), NBCSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (10-3, 3.44 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Sonny Gray (4-4, 4.00)
Carrasco has won five consecutive decisions, including back-to-back triumphs over Detroit in which he allowed three runs while fanning 18 and walking only two over 14 innings. The 30-year-old Venezuelan, who registered a season-high 11 strikeouts versus the Tigers last Friday, has posted a superb 7-1 record and 2.38 ERA in nine road outings while limiting opponents to a .197 batting average. Carrasco improved to 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against Oakland on May 29, when he gave up two runs and four hits in seven frames.
Gray has produced three straight strong starts, going 2-1 while allowing five runs - four earned - over 21 innings during that span. Both of the 27-year-old native of Tennessee's victories came against the Chicago White Sox, including a win on July 5 in which he issued two of the four walks he has handed out during his solid stretch. Gray fell to 2-2 and saw his ERA rise to 4.00 in six career turns versus the Indians on May 30, when he was tagged for seven runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 frames at Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians OF Jose Ramirez and Athletics 1B Yonder Alonso both went 2-for-2 with a stolen base for the AL in the All-Star Game while Cleveland LHP Andrew Miller notched the save after tossing a scoreless 10th inning.
2. Oakland INF Ryon Healy needs one blast to join Alonso and OF Khris Davis (24) as 20-homer hitters for the club.
3. Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar (shoulder) struggled in two rehab starts with Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron but yielded two hits over five scoreless frames for Single-A Mahoning Valley on Tuesday.