• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Indians host Braves in World Series rematch

Jun 15, 2007 - 1:28 PM Atlanta (35-32) at Cleveland (39-26) 7:05 pm EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Braves visit the Cleveland Indians for the first time since the 1995 World Series when the teams open a three-game interleague series Friday.

The Braves captured that World Series in six games - the only championship they won during their 14-year run as division champions.

While neither team is talking World Series just yet, both do have their sights set on division titles this season. Cleveland leads the American League Central and the Braves are 2 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the National League East.

Atlanta has a few things working against them in this one, as C.C. Sabathia is starting for Cleveland and the Indians are 21-8 at Jacobs Field this season.

Sabathia (9-1, 3.09 ERA) has not allowed a run in his last 18 innings. He pitched a five-hit shutout in a 1-0 win on June 5 against the Kansas City Royals. The lefthander followed that performance by tossing nine scoreless innings against Cincinnati on Sunday, but did not figure in the decision as the Reds squeezed out a 1-0 win in 12 innings.

Buddy Carlyle (1-1, 4.91) makes his fourth start of the season for the Braves, who have dropped three consecutive games.

In his last start on Sunday, the 29-year-old righthander did not get a decision after allowing four runs in 6 1/3 innings in a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs. Carlyle has spent much of the season at Class AAA Richmond, but has been called upon to take the place of injured starter Lance Cormier.

With his next appearance, Braves closer Bob Wickman will pass Walter Johnson (802) and move into 34th place on the all-time games pitched list.

Wickman did absorb his third blown save of the season on Thursday, giving up three runs and four hits in one-third of an inning of a 3-2 loss at the Minnesota Twins.

Cleveland's Casey Blake has the longest active hitting streak in the majors at 23 games. It is the longest streak by an Indians player since Marty Cordova hit in 22 straight in 2001.