Texas @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2015 ) Cleveland 1, Texas 5

The Cleveland Indians vie for their seventh consecutive victory Monday, when they begin a three-game series against Josh Hamilton and the visiting Texas Rangers. Cleveland has been sensational since dropping the opener of a four-game series at Chicago, winning the final three meetings with the White Sox before sweeping a three-game home set against in-state rival Cincinnati.

Carlos Santana and David Murphy each recorded two hits and an RBI on Sunday as the Indians sent the Reds to their eighth straight loss with a 5-2 triumph. Extending its run will not be easy for Cleveland as it welcomes in a Texas team that is riding a five-game winning streak of its own. The Rangers kicked off their nine-game road trip with a one-run loss at Boston but went on to capture a pair of tight decisions against the Red Sox before romping to a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees during which they scored 30 runs while allowing 15. Texas hopes to get even stronger with the return of Hamilton, who was re-acquired from the Los Angeles Angels on April 27 and will make his season debut following offseason shoulder surgery.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Phil Klein (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Indians RH Shaun Marcum (1-0, 2.31)

Klein's first major-league start on Wednesday was an impressive one, as he allowed one run and five hits over 5 1/3 innings at Boston for his second career victory. The 26-year-old native of Columbus, Ohio had surrendered four runs over 4 2/3 frames in six relief appearances prior to facing the Red Sox. Klein came out of the bullpen against Cleveland twice last year, going 0-1 while yielding two solo homers among three hits in a total of one inning.

Marcum came up with a strong performance at the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in his first start in nearly two years, allowing two solo blasts among four hits in 6 2/3 innings to record the victory. The 33-year-old also worked five solid frames of relief versus Detroit on April 12, his first major-league appearance since July 2013 with the New York Mets as he made his way back from thoracic outlet surgery. Marcum has yet to lose to Texas in his career, posting a 2-0 record in eight games (five starts) despite posting a 5.01 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Hamilton, whose disappointing two-year stint with the Angels was followed by a drug relapse this past offseason, hit .364 with a homer and six RBIs during a 12-game rehab assignment.

2. Indians C Yan Gomes (sprained MCL) was hitless in four at-bats Sunday after being activated from the disabled list earlier in the day.

3. Texas SS Elvis Andrus is 65-for-181 (.359) with 25 RBIs in 47 career games against Cleveland.

PREDICTION: Indians 7, Rangers 4