Preview: Tomlin Looks to Sweep the Sox as Indians and Chicago Wrap Up Series

CLEVELAND - Jason Kipnis provided the heroics on Wednesday night with a ninth inning grand slam that sent everyone home happy as the Tribe topped Chicago 4-1 at Progressive Field.

Thursday night the Indians will look for the three-game sweep in the final matchup at Progressive Field in 2018 between the two, and the Tribe will send Josh Tomlin back to the mound as he looks for his second win of 2018.

The Sox will enter action at 59-92, while the Indians stand at 85-66, as with 12 games left they will look to enter the postseason on a high note.

Here's a quick look at tonight's game:

Date: Thursday, September 20

Time: 7:10 p.m. ET

Location: Progressive Field

Starting Pitchers: RHP James Shields (7-16, 4.53) vs. RHP Josh Tomlin (1-5, 6.49)

TV Channel: SportsTime Ohio

Online Stream: MLB.TV

Radio: ALT 99.1, AM WTAM 1100 and WMMS 100.7

Click the next pages for a preview of tonight’s matchup against the Sox.

1. A Step Forward for Tomlin

Indians starter Josh Tomlin didn't pitch poorly, but took a no-decision after the Tigers rallied after the Indians were able to tie the game after back-to-back homers in the 6th inning.

The line for Tomlin wasn't bad after he allowed a leadoff homer in the eventual Tigers win. He went four innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and two K's.

Tomlin will get one more start, and it's a stretch to think he's going to make the playoff roster, so the next time out might be the last time he throws in an Indians uniform, and Thursday's start might be his last at Progressive Field.

2. Rest Day for Donaldson

The Indians continue to make sure they don't run new third basemen Josh Donaldson into the ground, and he'll get a day off on Thursday after playing back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

He had a huge impact on the win for the Tribe Wednesday, as he legged out a hit to start the ninth, and even after it was replayed, he was deemed safe.

Donaldson is hitting .226 on the season in the limited time in the Majors, but he looks like his old self, and also made two outstanding plays at third in the win over Chicago.

3. Dominating the Central

The Indians play their final AL Central game on Thursday, and it's been a feast this season against their inter-divisional foes.

This season the team is 45-23 (.662) overall against the AL Central, marking the 2nd-best intradivisional record in MLB (Boston – 48-21, .696)…Cleveland’s 2.81 ERA (190ER/609.0IP) vs. the Central is the lowest by a club against its own division.

They have really beaten up the Sox, going 12-3 overall against them after the win on Wednesday, and they have outscored them on the season 82 to 38, an average of 5.4 to 2.5 runs per game.

After the Sox leave town, another set of Sox come in as Boston invades Progressive Field over the weekend.

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