Indians at Twins
Eddie Rosario has played at an All-Star level since the start of May, and the outfielder hopes to continue his hot streak to pull the Minnesota Twins back into the American League Central race when they host the first-place Cleveland Indians on Sunday. Rosario is batting .369 with seven homers, 11 doubles and 24 RBIs in 30 games since May began after launching a two-run homer in Saturday’s 7-1 victory.
Rosario leads the way with a .310 batting average overall for the Twins, who have won the last two games after dropping seven of eight and are 5-2 in their last seven contests at Target Field with eight games left on the homestand. Snakebitten Kyle Gibson gets the start in the finale for Minnesota on Sunday and he will oppose fellow right-hander Mike Clevinger, who is coming off his seventh quality start in 11 trips to the mound in 2018. The Indians have lost two in a row after winning a season-high six straight but lead the AL Central by 2 1/2 games over Detroit while the Twins are 4 1/2 back. Slugger Edwin Encarnacion has hit safely in a season-high nine consecutive games for Cleveland, going 15-for-36 in that stretch with four homers and 11 RBIs.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mike Clevinger (4-2, 3.14 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (1-3, 3.57)
Clevinger rebounded from two straight losses by holding the Chicago White Sox to one run on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in Tuesday's 7-3 victory. The 27-year-old Floridian gave up eight runs across 11 2/3 innings in his previous two starts for his first two setbacks of 2018. Brian Dozier is 3-for-11 with three walks and a homer versus Clevinger, who is 1-2 with a 3.74 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against Minnesota.
Gibson is winless since his 2018 debut on March 31, but he limited opponents to three or fewer runs in six of his last seven trips to the mound. The 30-year-old Indiana native, who has surrendered just five homers this year, struck out eight and limited Kansas City to five hits over seven scoreless innings Tuesday for a no-decision but owns a 5.76 ERA in five home starts. Yan Gomes is 11-for-22 with two homers versus Gibson, who is 2-6 with a 5.82 ERA in 13 career starts against the Indians.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland CF Bradley Zimmer had two hits Saturday in his first game back since sitting out more than three weeks with a bruised chest.
2. Minnesota 3B Miguel Sano was rested Saturday but has 10 RBIs during his current six-game hitting streak.
3. Indians 3B Jose Ramirez is 11-for-30 with four homers during a seven-game hitting streak, raising his average to .301.