Sunday’s Series Finale: Guardians at Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — The Cleveland Guardians look to complete a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, where rain and a game-time temperature of 51 degrees are in the forecast.

Cleveland (31-22) is expected to start left-hander Parker Messick (5-1). The 25-year-old has been a steady force in the rotation, though the Guardians also listed right-hander Andrew Painter (1-4) as a probable pitcher earlier in the week. Philadelphia (25-26) will counter with left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who has been dominant of late despite a 1-0 loss to the Guardians on Friday in which he allowed four hits over eight scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

The Guardians have won seven of their last eight games, including a 3-0 shutout Saturday. Right-hander Gavin Williams, named a player to watch, threw eight innings of four-hit ball with 11 strikeouts in Friday’s 1-0 win, and has posted a 2.09 ERA over his past three starts. He is not scheduled to start Sunday but could be available in relief.

Philadelphia has dropped four of its last five. Sánchez (no record given) has been stellar in his last four outings, allowing zero earned runs over 32 innings across three victories and the tough-luck loss Friday. He struck out 13 in a complete-game shutout at Pittsburgh on May 16.

The over/under for Sunday’s game is set at 7.5 runs, with Cleveland installed as a 1.5-run favorite. Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-6 Guardians victory.

Following the series, Cleveland heads home for six games against Washington and Boston before a road trip to New York and Texas. Philadelphia begins a 10-game West Coast swing Monday in San Diego.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. EDT.