Cleveland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2015 ) Minnesota 1, Cleveland 8

Despite going 8-17 since the All-Star break, the Minnesota Twins remain contenders in the American League wild card race as they host the Cleveland Indians in a three-game series beginning Friday. Minnesota (57-57) resides three games behind the Los Angeles Angels for the final wild card spot after Thursday's 6-5 loss to Texas at Target Field, but it's a tough hill to climb with Tampa Bay and Baltimore also in front of them.

"It was a winnable game and kind of disappointing when you have a chance to complete a three-game sweep," manager Paul Molitor told reporters Thursday after the Twins blew a 4-0 lead. "... It's a matter of turning the page. It's all you can really do." The series victory over Texas came after a 1-6 road trip and with a 10-game trek to New York, Baltimore and Tampa Bay beginning Monday, the Twins must take care of business against a team out of contention. Cleveland (53-60) is making its presence felt in the pennant race, though, after knocking the Yankees out of first place with a three-game series victory this week and sends 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to the mound Friday. Kluber carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Minnesota in his last turn and opposes Trevor May, who is expected to be on a pitch count of about 50 as he comes out of the bullpen to start in place of the injured Phil Hughes (back).

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (7-12, 3.46 ERA) vs. Twins RH Trevor May (8-7, 4.09)

Kluber's bid for his first career no-hitter was broken up by Joe Mauer's single but he endured to record his career-high fourth complete game, allowing three hits and striking out 10 in an 8-1 victory Sunday. The 29-year-old Alabama native has alternated complete games and rough outings over his last four turns, permitting five runs in Anaheim on Aug. 3 and six against the Chicago White Sox on July 24. Mauer is 7-for-31 with a home run and nine strikeouts against Kluber, who is 5-2 with a 3.48 ERA in 12 starts against Minnesota - 2-1, 2.70 ERA in three turns this season.

May hasn't started since July 1, when he yielded two runs (one earned) in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 loss in Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Washington native is 4-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 13 appearances since, including two scoreless innings and a victory in two contests versus Cleveland last weekend. May was roughed up for six runs and nine hits in four innings of an 8-2 loss in his last start against the Indians on May 10 after allowing one run in six frames of a 4-1 victory versus Cleveland on April 19.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians rookie SS Francisco Lindor went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in Cleveland's 8-6 loss Thursday and is 14-for-31 with 10 runs and four RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

2. Mauer is hitting .335 in 138 games against Cleveland after going 4-for-12 with a home run in three games last weekend, when the Indians took of three.

3. Cleveland is 29-26 on the road - tied with Kansas City for the second-best record among AL teams - and its 3.30 ERA away home is second only to St. Louis (2.91).

PREDICTION: Indians 3, Twins 2