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CWS@MIN: Diamond fans three in solid start vs. Sox

It's not a fight for the top spot in the American League Central, but a series between the struggling Indians and the surging Twins beginning Monday could turn into a fight for third place.

The two division rivals will square off at 7:05 p.m. ET at Progressive Field.

Cleveland, which has lost nine straight after dropping a heartbreaker against Detroit on Sunday afternoon, heads into the week 9 1/2 games behind the first-place White Sox. Minnesota, winners of seven of its past 10 games, is three games behind the Indians after its run was jump-started by a three-game sweep of the Tribe on July 27-29.

"We're still playing hard," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The veterans -- the coaching staff, we can say as much as we want to -- but those guys police themselves out there. [Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer] are back on the field along with the added veterans here, [which] means more chemistry. I like this group. I know our record is not where we want to be, but they play. That's all you ask as a manager."

Coming off a road trip that included sweeps at the hands of the Twins, Royals and Tigers, the Indians are hoping some home cooking can help turn things around this week.

The Tribe will play its next seven games at Progressive Field, where the club is 27-25 and has won 10 of its past 17 games.

It will be up to right-hander Zach McAllister to get the ball rolling in the right direction on Monday, as he looks to bounce back from a road loss to the Royals. He allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits while striking out three and walking two.

"Good pitcher, sneaky fastball," Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain said of McAllister the last time out. "I felt like we all battled and found ways to get runs in when we had guys on base. That's the most important part."

McAllister will be up against Twins lefty Scott Diamond, who has pitched into the eighth inning in his last two outings, throwing a shutout against the Indians on July 27 and allowing three runs over 7 1/3 innings against the White Sox on Wednesday.

"To say you sat there and saw this a long time ago, it's not the way it works," Gardenhire said. "You see something in a pitcher, but you hope that they can develop it and become what people project, and Scott's on his way. Is he over the hump? No. He's still a young pitcher. But he's on his way to becoming a solid pitcher at this level."

Twins: Minnesota trades Valencia, recalls Nishioka
• The Twins traded third baseman Danny Valencia to the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in exchange for outfielder Jeremias Pineda, who will be assigned to the Gulf Coast League Twins.

To fill Valencia's roster spot, the Twins recalled infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka from Triple-A Rochester. In 84 games for the Red Wings this season, Nishioka hit .245 with 13 doubles, a triple, a home run, 24 RBIs, 32 runs scored and 29 walks. After playing parts of eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Chiba Lotte Mariners, the infielder signed a three-year deal with the Twins before the 2011 season.

Pineda, 21, hit .421 (56-for-133) with nine doubles, three triples, 14 stolen bases and 20 runs scored for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He was signed by Boston prior to the 2011 season.

Indians: Choo on a roll

• Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is working on a five-game hitting streak, in which he has batted 6-for-21 with a run scored and two RBIs. Since May 14, he has hit .308 (89-for-289) with 25 doubles, 12 home runs, 28 RBIs and 55 runs in 71 starts, raising his batting average from .235 to .288.

• Reliever Vinnie Pestano gave up a sacrifice fly to Prince Fielder in the seventh inning on Sunday, marking the first time Pestano allowed an inherited runner to score this season. He has allowed just one of 16 inherited runners to cross the plate.

Worth noting

• Despite a 6-17 record since the All-Star break, the Cleveland bullpen has been decent in that span, posting a 3.28 ERA (28 earned runs in 76 2/3 innings).

• In nine games since July 27, Twins starters have posted a 2.57 ERA (19 earned runs in 66 1/3 innings), allowing just four home runs. They have pitched at least six innings in eight of their last 10 starts (eight quality starts).

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