Cleveland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 28, 2015 ) Cleveland 5, Seattle 3

Jason Kipnis is shredding the baseball in May and looks to continue his torrid production when the Cleveland Indians visit the Seattle Mariners in Friday's second contest of a four-game set. Kipnis went 2-for-4 with two RBIs as Cleveland posted a 5-3 victory on Thursday and he is batting .449 this month to raise his season mark to .345.

Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano didn't start for the first time this season due to an illness but flew out as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters that Cano started having flu-like symptoms Wednesday night, and the club is hoping he will be available to start Friday's game. Indians ace Corey Kluber struck out 13 batters in seven innings in the series opener as Cleveland won for the eighth time in 10 games. Dustin Ackley hit a two-run homer and Mike Zunino hit a solo blast against Kluber, but Seattle lost for the second time in the past seven games.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (4-1, 3.02 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (1-5, 7.33)

Bauer has put together three consecutive strong outings and has given up three runs and 13 hits in 22 1/3 innings during the span. He allowed one run and five hits in a season-long 7 2/3 innings while beating Cincinnati in his last start. Bauer is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts against Seattle and has been touched up for 17 hits in 10 2/3 innings.

Walker is 0-3 during a five-start winless stretch and pitched five or fewer innings in three of the outings. He lost to Toronto in his last turn when he gave up four runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Walker, who has never faced the Indians, has served up eight homers, and opponents are batting a collective .313 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians 1B-OF Brandon Moss homered in the opener and has gone deep 14 times in 50 career games against the Mariners.

2. Seattle batters have struck out 30 times in the past two games.

3. Cleveland 1B Carlos Santana was placed on the three-day paternity list Thursday after his wife gave birth to a daughter in the morning.

PREDICTION: Indians 9, Mariners 3