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Carrasco goes for Tribe in rubber match with Twins

Aug 14, 2013 - 1:24 PM (Sports Network) - Carlos Carrasco tries to avoid a 10th straight defeat on Wednesday when the Cleveland Indians play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

After going 0-4 with a 9.10 ERA Carrasco was sent to the minors back on July 9. However, he was recalled on Friday and tossed five scoreless innings in relief against Anaheim.

Still, he is 0-9 with an 8.49 ERA in his last 12 starts and hasn't earned a victory since June 29, 2011.

"It should (help his confidence). He was very good," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said on Friday. "It was good for our whole team's confidence. Any time you see somebody go out there and do what he did, that's terrific."

Minnesota, meanwhile, will counter with a struggling righty of its own in Kyle Gibson, who is winless in his last four starts and is 2-3 on the year with a 6.43 ERA.

The 25-year-old former first round pick did not get a decision on Friday in Chicago, as the White Sox reached him for three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 frames. He also walked four batters in his team's 7-5 win.

"I felt a whole lot better," Gibson said. "I worked a lot on trying to stay relaxed. I threw a lot more quality strikes."

After dropping the opener of this set on Monday, Cleveland bounced back on Tuesday, as Ryan Raburn clubbed a two-run homer and Zach McAllister tossed six effective innings to win for the first time since late May in the Indians' 5-2 win.

Michael Bourn, Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis knocked in the other runs for the Tribe, who won for just the second time in their last nine.

McAllister (5-7) yielded just four hits and two runs -- one earned -- while fanning seven. The 25-year-old righty hadn't seen a positive decision since a 12-3 win at Boston on May 23.

Cody Allen and Joe Smith retired six batters in a row, and Chris Perez tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 19th save.

Josh Willingham homered for the Twins, who lost for the second time in their last six.

Samuel Deduno (7-6) also lasted six innings, but was touched in defeat for five runs -- four earned -- on five hits.

"(Samuel) gave up the runs and we didn't do anything offensively," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.

The Indians have won six of their 11 matchups with Minnesota this season.