Cleveland GuardiansCleveland Guardians vs. Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies Pick Center

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Time: 07:05 P.M. EST Venue: Citizens Bank Park   Coming into his team's series with the Cleveland Indians, catcher Cameron Rupp insisted the Philadelphia Phillies were setting out to put all the talk of tanking to rest. They certainly aren't playing like a team interested in another last-place finish. Jerad Eickhoff will try to add to an outstanding run on the mound Saturday night when the host Phillies chase their fifth straight win and eighth in the past nine games. After finishing at the bottom of the NL East the past two seasons, Philadelphia (13-10) appeared to be in rebuilding mode with several young and inexperienced players. The Phillies, however, have won 13 of 19 since dropping their first four games, leading Rupp to say, ''A lot of people write us off saying we don't want to win. That's not true." The club has been sparked by a formidable pitching staff that has a 1.42 ERA during a four-game winning streak. The bullpen pitched six scoreless innings before Ryan Howard hit a walk-off home run in Friday's 4-3, 11-inning series-opening win." There's a different energy and all that began in spring training," Howard said. Now they'll give the ball to Eickhoff in hopes he can find the command on his normally devastating breaking ball. After allowing two runs while striking out 18 over 14 innings in his previous two starts, the 25-year-old was tagged for seven runs and nine hits - including two home runs - over 5 1/3 innings in Sunday's 8-5 loss at Milwaukee. According to MLB's official website, Eickhoff (1-3, 4.07 ERA) had given up only two extra-base hits on curveballs in 11 career starts before Ryan Braun hit a solo home run on a 1-2 curve and Kirk Nieuwenhuis ripped a two-run single on an 0-2 breaking ball." If I get beat on my curveball, I'll live with it," the right-hander explained. Now Eickhoff will have to be cautious with Jason Kipnis, who might want to consider playing in the NL someday. The two-time All-Star infielder hit a two-run home run Friday and has a .426 average with 10 extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in his last 11 interleague games. He's also 4 for 8 with two homers and five RBIs in his past two games at Philadelphia. The Indians hope to avoid their fourth loss in five games since sweeping Detroit to open this nine-game trip. They had averaged 6 runs and hit .298 in their previous five games before finishing with six hits and putting just four runners in scoring position Friday. Cleveland looks to get regroup offensively for Trevor Bauer (1-0, 4.76), who comes out of the bullpen to start in place of injured Carlos Carrasco. The right-hander had allowed six runs and 13 hits over 11 1/3 innings in six relief appearances. He'll try to keep center fielder Odubel Herrera off the bases. The leadoff man is batting .338 with a .494 on-base percentage while reaching safely in 20 consecutive contests. Carlos Santana, who is 10 for 26 on the road swing, could get an opportunity to play in right field with the designated hitter spot not available at Citizens Bank Park. The Indians (10-10) have dropped five of the six all-time meetings at Philadelphia after closer Cody Allen surrendered Howard's shot and fell to 0-3 with a 6.97 ERA.'' (Saturday) it will be over and I'll be ready to pitch,'' Allen said.

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