(Sports Network) - The Cleveland Indians hope to get themselves back into the American League Central race, while the Minnesota Twins will be simply trying to get back on track when these two division rivals begin a three-game series tonight at Progressive Field.

The defending AL Central champion Indians currently stand 8 1/2 games behind the scorching Chicago White Sox in the division standings and are two back of the second-place Twins. Cleveland is coming off a lengthy 11-game road trip and finished 5-6 on the trek, which culminated with an 8-2 rout of Detroit on Monday.

Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBI for the Indians, who snapped a two-game losing streak and earned a split of their four-game set with the Tigers. Kelly Shoppach added a two-run blast to help Tribe starter Cliff Lee become the AL's first 10-game winner this season.

Lee (10-1) gave up two runs on six hits over five innings to win his fourth consecutive start. The left-hander struck out five and walked two on the evening.

Chicago extended its margin atop the Central with a dominating four-game sweep of the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox outscored Minnesota by a whopping 40-15 margin for the series and extended the Twins' season-long losing streak with a 7-5 come-from-behind victory on Monday.

The White Sox' Paul Konerko snapped a 5-5 tie with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, while teammate Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate to help Chicago rally from an early 5-2 deficit.

Twins reliever Matt Guerrier (3-2) allowed three runs and four hits while recording just one out after coming on to begin the bottom of the seventh. Starter Glen Perkins worked the first 5 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on five hits while walking three.

Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-3 with three RBI for Minnesota, which also received a two-run double from Jason Kubel and a three-hit afternoon out of Justin Morneau.

Minnesota has now lost five straight games, the club's longest skid since a six-game slide from September 12-16 of last season. The Twins also haven't enjoyed much recent success at Progressive Field, where Minnesota is just 11-18 since 2005 and lost seven of nine games to the Indians a year ago.

Scott Baker gets the call for the Twins in tonight's opener and makes his second start after a month-long stint on the disabled list due to a strained groin. The right-hander held Baltimore to two runs over five innings in his return, but did not factor in the decision of a 3-2 Minnesota loss on Thursday.

Baker put together one of his best outings of 2008 against the Indians on April 20, although he failed to receive a decision. In that game he yielded just one run and five hits while racking up a season-best eight strikeouts over seven innings.

The 26-year-old is 2-4 with a 3.88 earned run average in eight lifetime starts against Cleveland.

Baker will be matched up against C.C. Sabathia, whose disappointing campaign continued in Thursday's 9-4 setback at Texas. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was reached for five runs (4 earned) and nine hits over six innings, which dropped his season record to 3-8.

Sabathia has now gone 0-3 in four starts since tossing a five-hit shutout to defeat Oakland on May 14.

The burly left-hander does have good career numbers against Minnesota, having compiled an 11-8 record with a 3.28 ERA in 26 lifetime starts versus tonight's opponent.

Minnesota won two of three tests from the Indians at the Metrodome from April 18-20, but Cleveland is 8-2 over the last 10 meetings between the clubs.