Indians at Twins (Game 1)
The Minnesota Twins are lagging six games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central, primarily due to their inability to beat the Indians on their home field. Winless in eight games against Cleveland at Target Field, Minnesota - which is one game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the wild-card race - looks to put an end to that drought when the teams return from a rainout to play a doubleheader on Thursday.
The Indians put on another impressive display of domination in the series opener, clubbing five home runs in an 8-1 victory to extending their winning streak to five games. Carlos Santana went deep twice on Tuesday to tie the mark for the most homers by a visiting player at Target Field with 14, while Edwin Encarnacion added his fifth blast in as many contests. The Twins, who lost for only the second time in nine games, have been outscored 56-16 by the Indians at home but have won five of six in Cleveland this season. Kyle Gibson, who is 0-2 in three starts versus the Indians this year, looks to even the series when he opposes Carlos Carrasco.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (11-5, 3.83 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (6-9, 6.02)
After giving up five runs in back-to-back outings, Carrasco got back on track in his last start at Tampa Bay, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning and striking out 10 over eight scoreless frames. He beat the Twins at Target Field on June 16 with 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball to improve to 3-6 lifetime against Minnesota. Joe Mauer is batting .440 (11-for-25) with a home run versus Carrasco.
Gibson fell one out shy of getting through five innings at Detroit in his last outing, giving up three runs and five hits while striking out six in a no-decision. His only two wins over the last two months were both quality starts and each came at home, where he is 3-6 with a 6.55 ERA in 11 turns. Encarnacion has done some damage against Gibson, going 6-for-15 with three homers and eight RBIs.
WALK-OFFS
1. Indians SS Francisco Lindor, who is 9-for-18 against Gibson, has hit safely in eight straight games overall.
2. Twins 3B Miguel Sano had his seven-game hitting streak snapped Tuesday, but he's struck out 17 times in his last seven contests.
3. Encarnacion is three homers shy of reaching 30 for the sixth year in a row.