Indians at Twins
The Cleveland Indians aim to bolster their sizable nine-game lead in the American League Central on Monday, when they open their three-game series against the host Minnesota Twins. The Indians own an impressive 30-14 record versus division rivals heading into their series with the Twins, who have dropped three in a row and six of their last 10.
Edwin Encarnacion joined Melky Cabrera and Yonder Alonso in going deep during Cleveland's 8-1 romp over Detroit on Sunday, giving him 11 hits - three homers - to go along with 10 RBIs and seven runs in his last eight games. The 35-year-old Encarnacion has homered four times against Minnesota this season and is 9-for-33 with three blasts versus Tuesday starter Ervin Santana. While the Indians have scored 21 runs en route to winning three of their last four, the Twins mustered just four hits en route to losing their third straight contest versus Boston - a 3-0 setback on Sunday. Eddie Rosario is 24-for-74 while hitting in 13 of his last 17 games and 2-for-6 versus Shane Bieber this season.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Shane Bieber (5-2, 4.80 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (0-0, 5.40)
Bieber produced the worst outing of his eight-star career on Tuesday, as he surrendered seven runs over 1 2/3 innings in a 9-4 setback against Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old won his lone decision in two career turns versus Minnesota as he gave up just one run while yielding a season-high 10 hits in 5 2/3 frames of a 4-1 victory on June 17. Bieber owns a 2-0 record and 4.58 ERA in three road starts this season.
Santana yielded three runs in five innings of Tuesday's no-decision versus Toronto, his first start of the season after undergoing surgery on the middle finger of his pitching hand in February. The 35-year-old Dominican owns a 7-11 record and 3.70 ERA in 25 career starts versus Cleveland. Cabrera is a robust 16-for-46 against Santana, who has flustered Francisco Lindor (3-for-19, five strikeouts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is just 5-for-23 versus Cleveland this season.
2. Lindor has registered six hits - two homers - to go along with four RBIs and four runs in his last five games.
3. Twins 3B Miguel Sano is 0-for-7 with five strikeouts since being promoted from the minors.