Twins at Indians
The visiting Minnesota Twins look to extend their winning streak against the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians to six when they meet for the finale of a three-game set Sunday afternoon. All-Star candidate Eddie Rosario continued his assault on Cleveland pitching by going 4-for-4 with a homer in Saturday’s 9-3 victory as the Twins crept within four games of first place.
Rosario is 16-for-34 with six homers and 11 RBIs versus the Indians this season - including 6-for-8 in the series - and currently boasts a five-game hitting streak for Minnesota, which has won six of eight contests against Cleveland in 2018. Jake Odorizzi, who has struggled in two starts versus the Indians this year (12 runs, 8 2/3 innings), gets the start in the series finale for the Twins while Cleveland turns to rookie Shane Bieber after scheduled starter Adam Plutko pitched in relief Saturday. The Indians continue their up-and-down season with a four losses in the last five games after going 5-1 to take command of the division. Tyler Naquin, who came off the disabled list Friday, owns a career-best 10-game hitting streak (12-for-30) and Jose Ramirez homered Saturday and has hit safely in eight consecutive contests.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), STO (Cleveland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.19 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.35)
Odorizzi is winless in his last six starts, but allowed three or fewer runs in five of them, including last Tuesday when he yielded two over five innings at Detroit. The 28-year-old Illinois native has not completed more than six innings in any of his 14 outings this year and is averaging fewer than five frames in his last five appearances. Francisco Lindor is 5-for-9 with two doubles and two homers versus Odorizzi, who is 1-2 with a 6.33 ERA in six games against Cleveland.
Bieber, a 2016 fourth-round pick out of California, returns for his second major league start after putting up impressive numbers in the minor leagues. The 23-year-old faced Minnesota in his first big-league outing May 31 when he allowed four runs on eight hits - including homers by Logan Morrison and Eduardo Escobar - and a walk with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Bieber is 6-1 with a 1.29 ERA between Triple-A and Double-A this year with 72 strikeouts over 76 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland RHP Carlos Carrasco was hit by a line drive and suffered a right arm contusion before exiting Saturday’s contest.
2. Escobar, among the league leaders with 27 doubles, owns a six-game hitting streak and is 26-for-65 with 21 RBIs over his last 17 contests.
3. Indians 1B Yonder Alonso (11 homers, 37 RBIs) will miss his third straight game while on the Family Medical Emergency List.