The Chicago White Sox are on the verge of their longest win streak in three years, and starter Jose Quintana is unbeaten against the last-place Cleveland Indians.
Quintana looks to lead the White Sox to a seventh straight win Tuesday night by taking advantage of a visiting Indians team that has suffered the most defeats to left-handed starters.
The White Sox (18-17) opened this four-game series with Monday's 2-1 victory on Carlos Sanchez's RBI single in the 10th. Chicago, which is over .500 for the first time, seeks its first seven-game run since reeling off nine in a row from May 23-June 1, 2012.
"If you smile as a team, you're going to win as a team, and I truly do believe that," center fielder Adam Eaton said.
Cleveland (14-23) managed one run in eight innings off Chris Sale to drop to 4-10 against left-handed starters. Now it faces another in Quintana (2-3, 4.39 ERA), who is 4-0 with a 3.26 ERA in 10 career starts against the Indians and has posted a 2.08 ERA in his last four.
He gave up an unearned run in six innings to earn a 4-1 victory at Cleveland on April 14. Quintana notched his first win in five starts since that effort Wednesday by yielding one run in seven-plus innings in a 4-2 victory at Milwaukee.
He figures to face two hitters who have given his problems. Cleveland star Michael Brantley is 10 for 20 against him and Mike Aviles, activated off the restricted list Monday, is 9 for 21.
Slugger Carlos Santana, who is 4 for 20 versus Quintana, is uncertain after he was scratched two hours before Monday's game due to back spasms. Brandon Moss took his place.
Chicago will re-assess right fielder Avisail Garcia, who was lifted in the 10th due to knee inflammation in favor of pinch runner J.B. Shuck. Garcia is 11 for 24 during the win streak.
"We're just being really cautious with him," manager Robin Ventura said. "He felt he could probably stay in there but we had a guy who could run so you put Shuck in there and figure it out tonight and tomorrow."
Jose Abreu is batting .333 during a 13-game hitting streak. He has hit safely in all six games against the Indians this season, going 8 for 25 with three homers with the White Sox winning four.
Abreu is 5 for 10 in his career against Trevor Bauer (2-1, 3.67), who went 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against Chicago in April. Conor Gillaspie doubled twice in six at-bats against Bauer in those contests.
Bauer is 0-1 with a 4.55 ERA in five starts since beating the White Sox on April 15. The right-hander gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings with 10 strikeouts in Thursday's 2-1 loss to St. Louis.
The Indians had three singles and a double Monday to drop to 2-2 on this seven-game trip. They wasted Corey Kluber's 12 strikeouts over nine innings.
"This is a tough loss for us, we had some opportunities," said designated hitter Nick Swisher, who went 0 for 3 to drop his average to .220.
