Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins Preview and Predictions 06-01-2018
1st June 2018 by Gracenote
all-star infielders francisco lindor and jose ramirez look to continue their red-hot hitting when the visiting cleveland indians go after a seventh straight win friday night against the slumping minnesota twins. ramirez homered for his third straight game and lindor was 4-for-5 with two blasts - improving to 9-for-14 over his last three contests - in thursday's 9-8 victory at minnesota.
ramirez boasts multiple hits in four of the last five outings and lindor has knocked in seven runs in his past four for the indians, who have scored 52 times during the current winning streak to extend their lead in the american league central to 4 1/2 games. carlos carrasco will try to keep it going for cleveland when he takes the mound friday against jose berrios in a rematch of the april 18 game in puerto rico when each completed seven scoreless innings for a no-decision before the twins won 2-1 in 16 innings. minnesota has dropped three straight and seven of eight after rallying from eight runs down to tie thursday before giving up a lindor's game-winning solo shot in the eighth inning. eddie rosario had two singles in the series opener to extend his hitting streak to six games for the twins and batted .368 in may with 21 rbis and 20 runs scored.
tv: 8:10 p.m. et, sto (cleveland), fs north (minnesota)
pitching matchup: indians rh carlos carrasco (6-3, 3.98 era) vs. twins rh jose berrios (5-5, 3.67)
carrasco managed a victory last time out against houston despite allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts. the 31-year-old venezuela native finished with a 4.98 era in five starts during may, but owns a 2.91 mark overall across six road starts in 2018. brian dozier is just 6-for-29 but boasts three homers versus carrasco, who stands 5-6 with a 3.53 era in 18 career appearances (15 starts) against the twins.
berrios permitted two or fewer runs in three straight starts, but took the loss sunday after surrendering a pair at seattle over 7 1/3 innings of a 3-1 setback. the 24-year-old puerto rican accumulated 27 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings in his last three outings after settling for four combined in his previous three trips to the mound. berrios is 2-2 with a 3.95 era in five career starts against the indians and owns a 2.92 mark in six home games this year.
walk-offs
1. minnesota 1b joe mauer, who has been out since may 18 with neck and concussion issues, suffered a setback and is no longer expected to return this weekend.
2. cleveland cf bradley zimmer (bruised chest) is expected to be activated for friday's game after missing more than three weeks.
3. twins rhp tyler duffey was recalled thursday and pitched two scoreless innings while rhp aaron slegers was sent to triple-a rochester.
prediction: indians 4, twins 2
1st June 2018 by Gracenote
all-star infielders francisco lindor and jose ramirez look to continue their red-hot hitting when the visiting cleveland indians go after a seventh straight win friday night against the slumping minnesota twins. ramirez homered for his third straight game and lindor was 4-for-5 with two blasts - improving to 9-for-14 over his last three contests - in thursday's 9-8 victory at minnesota.
ramirez boasts multiple hits in four of the last five outings and lindor has knocked in seven runs in his past four for the indians, who have scored 52 times during the current winning streak to extend their lead in the american league central to 4 1/2 games. carlos carrasco will try to keep it going for cleveland when he takes the mound friday against jose berrios in a rematch of the april 18 game in puerto rico when each completed seven scoreless innings for a no-decision before the twins won 2-1 in 16 innings. minnesota has dropped three straight and seven of eight after rallying from eight runs down to tie thursday before giving up a lindor's game-winning solo shot in the eighth inning. eddie rosario had two singles in the series opener to extend his hitting streak to six games for the twins and batted .368 in may with 21 rbis and 20 runs scored.
tv: 8:10 p.m. et, sto (cleveland), fs north (minnesota)
pitching matchup: indians rh carlos carrasco (6-3, 3.98 era) vs. twins rh jose berrios (5-5, 3.67)
carrasco managed a victory last time out against houston despite allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts. the 31-year-old venezuela native finished with a 4.98 era in five starts during may, but owns a 2.91 mark overall across six road starts in 2018. brian dozier is just 6-for-29 but boasts three homers versus carrasco, who stands 5-6 with a 3.53 era in 18 career appearances (15 starts) against the twins.
berrios permitted two or fewer runs in three straight starts, but took the loss sunday after surrendering a pair at seattle over 7 1/3 innings of a 3-1 setback. the 24-year-old puerto rican accumulated 27 strikeouts over 22 2/3 innings in his last three outings after settling for four combined in his previous three trips to the mound. berrios is 2-2 with a 3.95 era in five career starts against the indians and owns a 2.92 mark in six home games this year.
walk-offs
1. minnesota 1b joe mauer, who has been out since may 18 with neck and concussion issues, suffered a setback and is no longer expected to return this weekend.
2. cleveland cf bradley zimmer (bruised chest) is expected to be activated for friday's game after missing more than three weeks.
3. twins rhp tyler duffey was recalled thursday and pitched two scoreless innings while rhp aaron slegers was sent to triple-a rochester.
prediction: indians 4, twins 2