The set-up: The Cleveland Indians returned from the All Star break and lost five of six games on the road at Oakland and San Francisco. However, the defending AL champs returned home and have won six straight games, as they enter the final contest of the team's seven-game homestand against the LA Angels.The team's six-game winning streak is a season-high and has come at the perfect time, as AL Central rival Kansas City currently owns MLB's longest-active winning streak at eight games. The Indians are a season-high nine games over .500 at 54-45 but with eight wins in a row, the 53-47 Royals have climbed within 1 1/2 games of Cleveland. Meanwhile, the 49-53 Angels are a distant fourth in the AL West (18 1/2 games back of the Astros) and while they are "only" five games back in the race for the second wild-card spot, there are five teams ahead of them!

The pitching matchup: J.C. Romero (9-8 & 4.38ERA) will get the nod for LA and Cleveland's starter will be Trevor Bauer (8-8 & 5.58 ERA). Romero is 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA in four July starts and while he has made four career appearances against the Indians, all of them have been in relief (no record and a 5.06 ERA). Bauer has struggled in recent starts, lasting just 10 2/3 innings in his three July starts, allowing 17 hits, nine walks and 10 ERs (8.44 ERA).

The pick: Some good news for Cleveland fans is that Bauer is 3-0 with a 3.14 ERA in four career starts vs. the Angels (team is 3-1). Even better news is that the Indians are on a roll, having outscored their opponents 50-18 in their six-game winning streak. One last thing. The Angels enter today's game having lost seven in a row to the Indians dating back to June 12 of last season. They also have lost 11 of their last 12 games against the Indians, including each of their last nine games at Progressive Field. Make Cleveland an 8* play.