• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Indians seek sweep of White Sox

Sep 7, 2014 - 12:47 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - If good pitching is contagious, the Cleveland Indians would like to continue suffering a while longer.

Cleveland got seven innings from its starter in a Friday victory and a complete game on Saturday to position it for a sweep of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox as the teams wrap things up on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field.

The Indians are five games behind Kansas City in the American League's Central Division.

"That's the only choice we have right now to put the past behind us," said Cleveland's Corey Kluber, author of the Indians' Saturday gem. "Whatever happened the night before doesn't have any bearing on the next game."

Carlos Carrasco gets the call on Sunday amid a solid stretch as a starter.

He's 3-0 in five turns since early August with a sub-1.00 earned run average. The stretch followed a stint in the bullpen after his ERA in his initial four starts of 2014 had been a far less attractive 6.95.

Carrasco allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings of a Tuesday start against Detroit, but got a no-decision when a relief pitcher lost a lead in the ninth inning.

"He really dug deep," manager Terry Francona said. "He pitched out of so many binds and executed some unbelievable pitches. It flew past encouraging."

He'd been 0-4 in seven starts against the White Sox before beating them, 3-2, in Chicago on Aug. 28.

The White Sox have won just four of 17 games overall and one of their last eight on the road.

"We had some chances (Saturday) and just didn't hit anything out of it," manager Robin Ventura said.

Scott Carroll has beaten the Indians twice this season -- including a July 12 outing in which he threw five scoreless innings -- and will get the call for the finale.

Against all foes, he's won just one of five decisions in his last seven starts.

In his last outing on Aug. 29, he allowed seven runs in five-plus innings of a 7-1 loss to Detroit.

In three straight losses to the Indians, Chicago has batted just .192.

On Saturday, Jose Ramirez capped a three-hit night with a tie-breaking RBI triple that helped give the Indians a 3-1 win over the White Sox.

Ramirez's drive off Zach Putnam (4-3) snapped a 1-1 deadlock in the seventh inning, with Michael Brantley following with an RBI single to back Kluber's third complete game of the season.

Kluber (14-9) yielded just five hits and one unearned run while striking out seven and not issuing a walk, stopping a three-start losing streak.

Brantley also finished 3-for-4 in the victory, with Carlos Santana adding a solo home run for Cleveland.

The White Sox were dealt a third straight loss despite a strong six innings out of Jose Quintana, who held the Indians to a run while fanning seven and keeping his team in the game.