The Guardians have won seven in a row and 12 of their last 13 to pull within 3 1/2 games of the Tigers for first place in the American League Central. They also are just 1 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the final AL wild-card spot. Not bad for a team that trailed Detroit by as many as 15 1/2 games on July 8. Guardians left-hander Parker Messick (3-0, 1.84 ERA) is set to make the sixth start of his rookie campaign in the series opener. Lopez has faced the Guardians seven times in his career.