MLB Game Preview - Texas at Cleveland

Mon Aug 5, 2019 7:10 PM EDT

Jason Kipnis likes where the Cleveland Indians stand, and for good reason.

Kipnis and the red-hot Indians aim to continue their torrid play on Monday in the opener of a three-game series versus the visiting Texas Rangers.

The 32-year-old Kipnis homered and drove in three runs on Sunday as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 6-2 victory.

"There's just a good energy going in our dugout right now," said Kipnis, who is 8-for-19 with three homers and nine RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.

"Guys are excited how we're playing ... and we're in one of those grooves where we're expected to win every day."

The Indians having been doing their fair share of that, as they reside a season-high 21 games over .500 after posting a majors-best 37-15 mark since June 4. Cleveland sits three games behind American League Central-leading Minnesota.

Like Kipnis, Francisco Lindor also homered for the second straight contest to continue his red-hot play at the plate. Lindor is 9-for-19 during a five-game hitting streak, although he is just 1-for-7 with two strikeouts in his career versus Monday starter Mike Minor (9-6, 3.21 ERA).

Minor improved to 2-0 with a slim 0.55 ERA in seven career appearances (one start) versus Cleveland after allowing one run on three hits in eight innings of a 4-2 win on June 20.

The 31-year-old left-hander has struggled of late, however, as he permitted at least five runs for the second straight outing -- albeit in a 9-7 win versus Seattle on Wednesday.

Like Cleveland, Texas is also coming off a sweep after Willie Calhoun ripped a tie-breaking, bases-clearing triple with two outs in the seventh inning in Sunday's 9-4 victory over Detroit.

"The biggest thing for me is making sure I'm having fun. When I'm having fun, I feel like that's when I'm at my best," said the 24-year-old Calhoun, who has 12 hits -- seven for extra bases -- with 12 RBIs and nine runs scored in his last nine games.

Former Indian Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI double among his three hits and scored three times on Sunday. The 37-year-old, however, had just three hits in 14 at-bats against Cleveland as the clubs split a four-game series in June.

Indians rookie right-hander Aaron Civale (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will be summoned from Triple-A Columbus to replace the injured Danny Salazar (groin) and make his second career start.

The addition of the 24-year-old Civale will bump fellow rookie Zach Plesac back one day from his regular turn in the rotation to Tuesday. Right-hander Mike Clevinger will start the homestand finale on Wednesday.

"That will give Plesac an extra day and it gives Civale an extra day," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "It's not where one guy is getting two and one guy is going on regular (rest)."

Civale provided a stellar start in his lone appearance this season with the Indians, allowing just two hits and striking out six in six innings of a 2-0 win against the Tigers on June 22.

--Field Level Media