Rained out; doubleheader scheduled for May 3

Toronto, in its only previously scheduled trip to Cleveland this season, broke the Indians’ fivegame winning streak.

The Indians and Toronto Blue Jays will try again in a couple of weeks.

The teams will play a traditional doubleheader starting at 1:10 p.m. on May 3 at Progressive Field after their series finale was postponed by rain April 15. The game was called about four hours before the scheduled 1:10 p.m. first pitch. The April 14 game also was rained out.

Toronto, in its only previously scheduled trip to Cleveland this season, broke the Indians’ five-game winning streak with an 8-4 victory April 13.

Both teams should have a better chance of getting on the field in their next series. The Indians open a twogame series in San Juan, Puerto Rico, against the Minnesota Twins on April 17. The Blue Jays start a three-game series against Kansas City at Rogers Centre on April 16.

Corey Kluber (1-1), working on seven days of rest, will pitch the first game against the Twins. The reigning AL Cy Young winner struck out 13 and allowed two hits in eight innings for his first win of the season against Detroit on April 9.

The Indians finished 6-2 on their first homestand of the season, which included a ballpark-record low temperature 32 degrees for the start of the April 8 game against Kansas City.

Cleveland’s strong pitching has overcome a struggling offense. The Indians have allowed three runs or fewer in 10 games and gave up 16 runs in the homestand. Cleveland is batting .200 as a team but has reached double figures in hits the last three games.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor has raised his average from .159 to .241 and driven in five runs the last three games. Third baseman Jose Ramirez, after finishing third in last season’s AL MVP voting, is batting .160 while designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion is hitting .146 and had a 0-for21 slump during the homestand.

The Indians are gradually working left fielder Michael Brantley into the lineup after he missed the first week while returning from offseason ankle surgery. Brantley is batting .286 with four RBI in six games.