Oakland @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 23, 2015 ) Oakland 3, Cleveland 8

The Cleveland Indians have a chance to reach the All-Star break with a .500 record, but it will require a three-game sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics in a series that gets underway on Friday. The Indians earned only their second home series win of the season by taking the final three contests of a four-game set over American League West-leading Houston.

Starting pitching has sparked the turnaround for Cleveland, which has won eight of its last 11 games and limited opponents to two runs or fewer eight times in that span. Although the Indians scored only nine runs during their winning streak, Michael Brantley led the way by going 6-for-11 with a homer and five runs scored. Oakland, which owns the worst record in the AL at 39-49, lost the final two contests of a three-game set at Yankee Stadium. Rookie Kendall Graveman looks to win his fourth straight start when he opposes Cleveland's Danny Salazar.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (6-4, 3.16 ERA) vs. Indians RH Danny Salazar (7-4, 4.10)

Graveman has been outstanding during his three-start winning streak, going seven innings in each outing and allowing a combined two runs while extending his scoreless streak to 16 frames. He blanked Seattle on five hits over seven innings in his last start and turned in an identical line to beat Colorado five days earlier. Pitching away from home has not fazed Graveman, who is 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA in seven road starts.

Salazar failed to make it through five innings for the third time in four starts last time out, allowing five runs over 4 2/3 frames in a 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh. He was dominant in his previous outing, limiting Tampa Bay to two runs over 7 2/3 innings and halting a string in which he surrendered one homer in four straight starts. He has been torched by Oakland's Billy Butler, who is 7-for-12 with four doubles against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians closer Cody Allen has not allowed a run in his last 18 appearances.

2. Oakland SS Marcus Semien committed his major league-leading 28th error Thursday.

3. Indians 1B Carlos Santana was 5-for-13 in the series versus Houston following a 3-for-28 slump.

PREDICTION: Indians 3, Athletics 1