Indians at White Sox
All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor and the Cleveland Indians look to extend their impressive streaks to double figures when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the host Chicago White Sox on Sunday. The American League Central-leading Indians have won nine straight after posting a 5-4 victory on Saturday and Lindor has hit safely in all of them, registering 15 hits in 37 at-bats to raise his average 14 points.
Lindor notched a pair of hits Saturday while Carlos Santana walked four times and scored twice, but the winning run came home when Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning. Josh Tomlin hopes to continue his hot streak on the mound for Cleveland opposite former third-overall draft pick Carlos Rodon in the finale as Chicago tries to end its five-game slide. The White Sox have dropped 14 of their last 15 overall and continue to try to build for the future with players such as the 24-year-old Alen Hanson, who has produced five hits over eight at-bats in the series. Melky Cabrera, who has been mentioned in trade rumors of late, recorded four hits Saturday and Jose Abreu launched a three-run blast for Chicago.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (7-9, 5.59 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (1-4, 6.29)
Tomlin is turning around his season with three straight quality starts that led to victories, allowing seven runs and 14 hits over 20 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts against one walk. The 32-year-old Texan has issued just 12 free passes in 106 1/3 frames, but opponents are batting .304 against him. Abreu is 8-for-17 with a homer versus Tomlin, who is 0-2 with a 20.77 ERA against Chicago this year and 4-5 with a 4.15 mark in his career.
Rodon has posted just one quality start in his first five turns of the season after coming off the disabled list but has recorded 31 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old North Carolina State product permitted four runs, seven hits and three walks over four frames last time out against the Chicago Cubs. Santana is 7-for-18 versus Rodon, who is 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in nine career games (eight starts) against the Indians.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cabrera is 15-for-43 against the Indians this season and Abreu has belted 15 homers in 56 career meetings.
2. Cleveland CF Austin Jackson has produced eight hits in 16 at-bats since coming off the disabled list.
3. White Sox UTIL Leury Garcia (finger) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday and went 0-for-4.