Cleveland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2015 ) Chi. Cubs 3, Cleveland 4

Kyle Schwarber left a lasting impression on the Cleveland Indians in mid-June, going 6-for-10 with a homer, a triple, five runs scored and four RBIs in his first taste of the majors. After joining fellow rookie Kris Bryant in a home-run hitting barrage in their last game, the young duo looks to continue the Chicago Cubs’ homer-happy ways on Monday when they host the Indians in an interleague makeup contest of the teams’ June 15 rainout.

Schwarber struck out in his first major-league at-bat as a pinch hitter after Miguel Montero was ejected late in Cleveland’s 6-0 win over the Cubs on June 16, but torched the Indians over the next two days as Chicago split a pair of games at Progressive Field. The 22-year-old backstop, who is in a 4-for-31 slump over his last nine contests, slugged another homer while Bryant added two of his own as the Cubs belted five home runs and finished off a four-game home sweep of Atlanta with a 9-3 triumph on Sunday. Chicago has won 12 of 14 at home, clubbing 24 homers and averaging 7.4 runs over its last seven games at Wrigley Field. Cleveland, which won two of the first three meetings in spite of Schwarber’s contributions, took three of four from the Yankees in New York over the weekend and can complete an 11-game road trip with a winning record with another victory on Monday.
TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (8-13, 3.52 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (8-9, 3.58)
Kluber had a forgettable outing Wednesday in Boston, serving up a career-high four homers among the six hits and six runs he allowed over as many innings. It was a reversal of fortune for the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, who yielded a total of two runs and four hits while fanning 17 in consecutive complete-game wins over Minnesota. Kluber has never faced Chicago, but is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA and has a 30:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 23 2/3 innings in three interleague starts this season.
Lester had a miserable outing in his own right on Wednesday at home against Detroit, coughing up seasons highs in home runs (three) and runs (seven) to end a four-decision winning streak. The three-time All-Star has also struggled mightily against the AL as well this season, going 0-3 with a 7.52 ERA in four turns. Lester has been much more formidable against the Indians in 14 career starts, however, going 7-1 with a 3.23 ERA while allowing one homer in 82 at-bats against the current Indians’ roster.

WALK-OFFS
1. Monday will wrap up a stretch of 17 straight contests in Chicago for the Cubs, with the only road games coming against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Over the first 16 contests, the Cubs are 13-3.
2. Cleveland rookie SS Francisco Lindor, who leads his team in second-half runs (22) and hits (50), is 6-for-9 with a pair of solo homers over his last two contests.
3. The Cubs have blasted a major league-best 36 home runs in August.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Cubs 4