Francisco Lindor has run roughshod over the opposition since July 19, when he began a stretch of hitting safely in 30 of 34 games with two doubles and a single in the Cleveland Indians' 10-5 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Lindor looks to continue his hot hitting on Saturday as the host Indians aim to secure a victory in the current three-game series against the Royals.

The All-Star shortstop belted a two-run homer to highlight a four-run second inning in the Indians' 4-1 win on Friday to boost his totals in extra-base hits (21) and RBIs (20) during that 34-game stretch.

The result in the series opener helped the Indians feel better after being swept by the Mets in a three-game set at New York earlier this week.

"It was very nice," Lindor said. "After three tough losses, the guys came back (Friday) and they battled. And everyone seemed like they were on their toes, very alert, and that's why we came out with the W."

Lindor is 27-for-66 (.409) with four homers, 10 RBIs and 15 runs in 14 games against Kansas City this season.

Lindor (7-for-13, two homers) along with rookie Oscar Mercado (5-for-10) and Jose Ramirez (4-for-10, two homers) have bothered the Royals' Saturday starter, Glenn Sparkman.

Carlos Santana, who is just 1-for-5 against Sparkman, has recorded seven multi-hit performances in his past 12 games to boost his average to .360 (27-for-75) in August.

Sparkman (3-8, 5.40 ERA) has been taken to task by Cleveland this season, going 0-2 with a 9.37 ERA in three starts. He surrendered eight runs on nine hits in five innings during a 9-1 setback to the Indians on July 27.

He is 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA in four career starts vs. Cleveland.

Indians manager Terry Francona would love to see his team jump on Sparkman early, showing the kind of energy his team displayed on Friday.

"That doesn't mean you're gonna score runs, but it's kinda what you look for," Francona said. "You don't want to let games get away because you're tired."

Cleveland right-hander Mike Clevinger (8-2, 3.11 ERA), who will get the nod on Saturday, improved to 7-0 with a 2.17 ERA in his past nine starts after striking out 10 in five scoreless innings of an 8-4 win over the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Clevinger boosted his career record vs. Kansas City to 8-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts) after winning both of his starts against the Royals this season. The 28-year-old scattered four hits and fanned nine over six innings in a 4-0 win over Kansas City on July 3 before tossing one-run ball over seven frames in a 9-1 victory on July 27.

While Clevinger has flustered Hunter Dozier (1-for-12, four strikeouts), Jorge Soler (8-for-14) and Alex Gordon (9-for-27) have given the right-hander some trouble in their careers.

Gordon, who is 25-for-68 (.368) against Cleveland this season, enters Saturday's contest with three straight multi-hit performances and seven hits in his past four games after going 5-for-62 (.081) from July 29-Aug. 17.

While the Royals' offense has mustered just one run in each of the last three games, all losses, manager Ned Yost expressed optimism with his relief pitching after seeing right-handers Kyle Zimmer and Josh Staumont combine for four scoreless innings in Friday's series opener.

"I thought they threw the ball extremely well," Yost said of the duo. "That's a tough lineup over there. They've been swinging the bats pretty good. Both of those young guys come in banging strikes, good, strong downhill action, good breaking balls, pitching with some conviction."

--Field Level Media