Tribe wins again stays in first place.

CLEVELAND The Cleveland Indians will try to salvage a mediocre homestand when they host the Texas Rangers on Thursday in the final game of a four-game series.

Coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on SportsTime Ohio

http://www.foxsports.com/ohio/story/cleveland-indians-franchise-record-bob-feller-062917

For the Indians, its the final game of a seven-game homestand in which theyve lost four of the first six games. Thats counting the Indians 5-3 win over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Even with their win Wednesday, the Indians are still a dismal 17-21 at home, the second worst home record in the American League. Only Minnesota, at 16-25, has a worse home record in the league.

Weve seen glimpses of what were capable of doing, but at other times we havent been very consistent, said Indians president Chris Antonetti. We havent been as consistent as wed like to be, but hopefully well eventually find our legs.

In Thursdays game, the Indians will send their best pitcher to the mound, Corey Kluber (6-2, 3.24). Kluber will make his 12th start. He is on a roll, named the American League Pitcher of the Week for last week, during which he started two games and pitched 16 innings without allowing an earned run. He gave up six hits with 24 strikeouts and two walks.

Klubers last start against Texas came on Opening Day, April 3, when he got a no decision in an 8-5 Cleveland win. In that game, Kluber pitched six innings and gave up five runs on six hits, with six strikeouts, three walks and three home runs, two by Rougned Odor and one by Carlos Gomez. In five career starts against the Rangers, Kluber is 2-1 with a 4.36 ERA.

Kluber goes into Thursdays game having struck out 10 or more batters in three consecutive starts. Thats one shy of the franchise record of four, set by Bob Feller in his last three starts of 1938 and first start of 1939.

The Rangers will counter with right-hander Andrew Cashner (3-6, 3.50). Cashner will be activated off the disabled list to make the start Thursday. He has been on the DL since June 15 with a left oblique strain. In his last three starts prior to going on the DL, Cashner was 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA.

He has one career start against Cleveland and it came on Sept. 7 last year, while pitching for Miami. Cashner was the losing pitcher in a 6-2 Miami loss. In five innings, he gave up six runs on six hits with six strikeouts and six walks........CONTINUED. ........

AL Central

Team W L Pct GB

Cleveland 38 32 .543 -

Minnesota 36 33 .522 1.5

Kansas City 35 36 .493 3.5

Detroit 32 39 .451 6.5

Chi White Sox 31 39 .443 7

Full Standings

Is this where the Indians start to pull ahead?

Kluber, Carrasco, Clevinger, Bauer....Tomlin / Salazar?

AL Central

Team W L Pct GB

Cleveland 37 32 .536 -

Minnesota 35 33 .515 1.5

Kansas City 35 36 .493 3

Detroit 32 38 .457 5.5

Chi White Sox 31 38 .449 6

Full Standings

The tribe is only 1W behind LY?

BAL 6-5 bottom 8, save the streak!

Indians 11 LOB? Rats!

@mjp28 said:

CLE 9-0 Bundy gone.....Kluber should be safe.

Now 10-0.

Game 1 CLE 12-0 final Kluber CG SO 11 Ks, oh yeah.

It's great to finally see this team play like we've been expecting them to.

8-0.

Now 10-0.

• In his three starts since returning from the disabled list, Kluber has thrown 33.1-percent curveballs, generating a swing-and-miss rate of 28 percent, per Statcast. In his six outings before being shelved with the lower-back issue, Kluber threw his curve 19.4 percent of the time, with a 22.3-percent swing-and-miss rate. Kluber's curve has similar action as a slider. Baltimore ranks third in the Majors with a .428 slugging percentage against right-handed curves and sliders this season.

• Collectively, the current crop of Orioles hitters has posted a .239 average and .651 OPS all-time against Kluber. One batter who has had some success is Jonathan Schoop, who owns a .444 average with a homer and a double in nine career at-bats vs. the Tribe ace. Schoop is batting .346 (18-for-52) with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in his past 15 games for Baltimore.

• The Indians played without left fielder Michael Brantley over the four-game series in Minnesota. Brantley was away from the team for the birth of his son but is expected to rejoin Cleveland on Monday. Expect Brantley to move back to the lineup's No. 3 spot. Jose Ramirez thrived there against the Twins, but Francona still prefers to have the third baseman hitting fifth as protection for slugger Edwin Encarnacion.

Mon. 19 at Bal 7:05 PM ET STOh/MASN C. Kluber (5-2) D. Bundy (6-5)

Tue. 20 at Bal 7:05 PM ET STOh/MASN Tomlin v Tillman

Wed. 21 at Bal 7:05 PM ET STOh/MASN Carrasco v Gausman

Thu. 22 at Bal 7:05 PM ET STOh/MASN Clevinger v Miley

Then home 3 Twinkies and 4 Rangers and off to DET.

GO TRIBE!

Team W L Pct GB

Cleveland 35 31 .530 -

Minnesota 34 32 .515 1

Detroit 32 35 .478 3.5

Kansas City 32 35 .478 3.5

Chi White Sox 31 36 .463 4.5

Full Standings

Remember first place?

MINNEAPOLIS -- Heres a look at the series between the Indians and Twins that begins Friday night.

Where: Target Field, Friday through Sunday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM/1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the series.

Pitching matchups: RHP Carlos Carrasco (6-3 3.36) vs. LHP Nick Turley (0-0, 9.00) Friday at 8:10 p.m.;

LHP Ryan Merritt (season debut) vs. LHP Adalberto Mejia (1-2, 5.75) Saturday at 2:10 p.m.

RHP Mike Clevinger (2-3, 4.09) vs. undecided Saturday at 8:10 p.m.

and RHP Trevor Bauer (5-5, 5.85) vs. RHP Kyle Gibson (4-4, 6.79) Sunday at 2:10 p.m.

Series: The Indians lead the series, 4-2. The Indians lead, 424-398, overall.

Paul Hoynes, Cleveland.com

Meanwhile LAD 2-0 top 5. Kluber 1,000th strikeout faster than any other Indian.