Indians at White Sox
The red-hot Cleveland Indians look to extend their season-high winning streak to nine games when they visit the struggling Chicago White Sox for the second of a three-game series on Saturday night. All-Star Jose Ramirez snapped out of a mini-slump (2-for-21) with a homer among four hits, four runs scored and three RBIs in Friday’s 9-3 rout as the first-place Indians maintained their two-game lead in the American League Central over equally red-hot Kansas City.
Francisco Lindor is 13-for-33 during an eight-game hitting streak, Carlos Santana owns multiple hits in five of the last nine contests and Michael Brantley boasts three homers in six outings for Cleveland, which has 61 runs during its win streak. Corey Kluber hopes to continue the run after going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in a pair of starts this season against the White Sox, who counter with veteran Miguel Gonzalez. Chicago has lost eight in a row at home and 13 of 14 overall while looking at promising youngsters such as second baseman Yoan Moncada, who registered an RBI double in the series opener to improve to 4-for-30 on the season. White Sox left fielder Melky Cabrera, who may be another veteran on the move before Monday’s trade deadline, is just 4-for-24 in his last six games.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), CSN Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (8-3, 2.74 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Miguel Gonzalez (5-9, 4.60)
Kluber struck out a season-high 14 batters and allowed one run over 7 2/3 innings versus Toronto to snap a three-game losing streak Sunday. The two-time All-Star has fanned at least 10 in seven of his last eight contests and permitted two or fewer runs in eight of his past 10 outings. Cabrera (13-for-32, four doubles) and Jose Abreu (12-for-37, three homers) have held their own against Kluber, who is 8-4 with a 3.15 ERA in his career versus the White Sox.
Gonzalez is coming off back-to-back strong efforts in which he gave up one run in each over a total of 13 1/3 innings while posting a win and a loss. The 33-year-old Mexico native, who is 2-9 since starting the season with three wins, owns a 3.58 ERA at home as opposed to a 5.30 mark on the road. Edwin Encarnacion is 9-for-35 with four homers and 15 RBIs against Gonzalez, who is 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) versus Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago 3B/DH Matt Davidson snapped out of a 0-for-10 slide with his career-high 20th home run Friday.
2. Cleveland CF Austin Jackson, who played for the White Sox last season, is 6-for-11 with three runs scored since coming off the disabled list.
3. Abreu went 0-for-5 on Friday, but is batting .302 with 14 homers in 64 games against the Indians in his career.