Indians at Cardinals
Matt Carpenter looks to cap off a red-hot series with the bat when his St. Louis Cardinals go after a three-game sweep of the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night. Carpenter had five hits in Tuesday’s 11-2 victory and is 8-for-9 in the series with six runs scored, two homers, two doubles and three RBIs to raise his batting average from .237 to .259.
The Cardinals have won four straight while outscoring opponents 26-6 and creeping within four contests of first place Milwaukee in the National League Central with help from Marcell Ozuna, who is 8-for-18 during a five-game hitting streak. St. Louis sends promising Jack Flaherty to the mound in search of the sweep while Cleveland turns to fellow rookie Shane Bieber, who won his last two starts in impressive fashion. The Indians were rolling along before meeting the Cardinals, outscoring opponents 54-9 during a seven-game winning streak, but were shut out in the series opener and ace right-hander Corey Kluber was pounded in Tuesday’s contest. Jason Kipnis knocked in one of the runs for Cleveland and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games to raise his average from .197 to .214.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FS Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Shane Bieber (2-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (3-2, 2.50)
Bieber was outstanding in his third major-league start last Friday, allowing four hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts against Detroit in a 10-0 victory. The 23-year-old California native boasts 22 strikeouts and just three walks across 18 1/3 innings with the Indians, but has yielded a total of 22 hits. Bieber was 6-1 at two levels of the minors with a 1.29 ERA across 12 starts, recording 72 strikeouts and six walks over 76 2/3 innings.
Flaherty has permitted one run or fewer in six of his last eight starts, including a no-decision last Friday at Milwaukee when he pitched 6 1/3 no-hit innings before surrendering Jesus Aguilar's homer for his lone run and hit allowed while striking out a career high-tying 13 in seven frames. The 22-year-old California native gave up two runs on six hits and six walks across 18 1/3 innings while managing just one victory. Flaherty has made one interleague start in his career, holding Minnesota to one run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings May 15 in a no-decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland 1B Yonder Alonso is 8-for-21 with six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
2. The Cardinals are last in the majors with 104 doubles, but boast nine in their last three contests.
3. Indians 3B Jose Ramirez went 0-for-4 on Tuesday to put an end to his 32-game on-base streak.