Series preview: Twins vs. Cleveland

RHP Kyle Gibson (11-9, 3.96 ERA) vs. RHP Trevor Bauer (4-7, 4.35)

RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-8, 5.99) vs. LHP T.J. House (1-3, 4.13)

RHP Phil Hughes (13-8, 3.76) vs. RHP Corey Kluber (13-6, 2.41)

The Twins are 5-5 against the Indians this year, 2-1 at home. The teams will meet again two more series in September, three games in Cleveland and three more in Target Field. … They are 24-23 against AL Central teams, entering Monday. … They had outhit the opposition only 41 times this year, almost exactly one-third of their games, and won 31 of them. … 2B Brian Dozier led the AL in runs scored with 84, a pace that would give him 111 this season, or seventh-most in Twins history. … DH Kennys Vargas had five multi-RBI games already, most ever by a Twins rookie in his first 15 major league games. … Their bullpen has walked only 116 batters, fewest in the AL. … Hughes is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA in five career starts against the Indians, while Gibson is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts. But Nolasco is 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA in two starts.

Cleveland entered Monday six games out of the AL Central race, but after winning 92 games last season, the Indians are only one game above .500 now. … They have won five of their past seven games, and two straight road games. But they are only 4-9 on the road since the All-Star break and 25-37 on the season. … LF Michael Brantley ranks fourth in the AL in batting (.319), seventh in RBI (80), fourth in doubles (78) and fifth in doubles (32). … CF Michael Bourn returned Saturday from a hamstring injury, but they are without 1B Nick Swisher (knee) and RF David Murphy (abdominal). … They have committed 95 errors, the most in the majors. … Curveball specialist Kluber has given up more than two runs in only one start since June 10. His ERA in six starts since the All-Star break is 0.76 — four earned runs in 47⅔ innings.

PHIL MILLER