After sweeping Detroit over three games to extend their lead in the AL Central, the Cleveland Indians will stay within the division for another three-game set with the Chicago White Sox over the weekend. The Indians will send 24-year-old righty Jeanmar Gomez to the hill for Friday's opener as they look to pick up a fourth consecutive victory.
The White Sox, who enter on a hot streak of their own with six wins over their last seven games, will give the ball to rookie Jose Quintana for his first career start. The Colombian-born Quintana pitched 5.2 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball in a relief effort back in early May, and could be a young pitcher to watch if he can stick around at the major league level.
After tweaking his ankle in Thursday's win, Cleveland outfielder Michael Brantley has not been included in Friday's lineup. The team did not announce whether his absence was injury-related or simply due to the fact that he has played in every single game in the month of May. Despite not having a home run to his credit yet this season, Brantley is hitting .308 over his last 27 games, and has been a vital catalyst at bottom half of the order.
Here are the starting lineups for Friday's game:
Indians
1. Shin-Soo Choo - RF
2. Jason Kipnis - 2B
3. Asdrubal Cabrera - SS
4. Carlos Santana - C
5. Jose Lopez - 3B
6. Shelley Duncan - DH
7. Johnny Damon - LF
8. Casey Kotchman - 1B
9. Aaron Cunningham - CF
Jeanmar Gomez - SP
White Sox
1. Alejandro De Aza - CF
2. Gordon Beckham - 2B
3. Adam Dunn - DH
4. Paul Konerko - 1B
5. Alex Rios - RF
6. A.J. Pierzynski - C
7. Dayan Viciedo - LF
8. Alexei Ramirez - SS
9. Orlando Hudson - 3B
Jose Quintana - SP
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