Detroit @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( May 3, 2010 ) Detroit 4, Minnesota 10
The Minnesota Twins struck first in this week's battle for AL Central supremacy.
The Detroit Tigers will attempt to strike back when the teams meet again in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.
The Twins dominated the series opener on Monday, scoring four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to put it away early. Michael Cuddyer hit a three-run homer and Denard Span tripled in two runs against Max Scherzer, who has allowed 16 runs in eight innings against Minnesota this season.
The win knotted the season series at two wins apiece in a battle that promises to last all season.
Reigning AL Most Valuable Player Joe Mauer missed Monday's opener and could be out a few more games with a bruised heel. Stepping in to take his place has been prospect Wilson Ramos, who has shown no fear in filling Mauer's rather large shoes.
The youngster went 4-for-5 in his major league debut on Sunday and followed it up with a 3-for-4 performance on Monday to become the first player to get seven hits in his first two games since World War II.
Justin Morneau, who moved up a spot to Mauer's customary No. 3 hole in the lineup, went 2-for-4 and scored a run in his friend's absence to push his batting average to a robust .356.
Morneau may be surging and Ramos may be making history, but Detroit has its own player with a high batting average in rookie Austin Jackson, who leads the majors at .377. Installed as the Tigers leadoff hitter from Opening Day, Jackson has had an easy go of it in his first turn through the league and is 12-for-20 over his last four games following another three-hit game on Monday.
Jackson went 4-for-11 with four runs scored when Detroit took two of three from the Twins last week.
Challenging the Minnesota hitters on Tuesday will be left-hander Dontrelle Willis. After barely making the roster out of spring training, Willis has surprised simply by being able to get anyone out after two seasons spent battling control problems and bouncing around the minor leagues.
Willis turned in his best outing of the season and picked up his first win last week against Minnesota, surrendering four hits and issuing only two walks in six scoreless frames while striking out six.
The Twins will counter with struggling right-hander Nick Blackburn. The 28-year-old has allowed five earned runs in each of his last three starts and was knocked out after allowing a season-high 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings against the lowly Kansas City Royals on April 24.
Blackburn missed his last turn in the rotation while attending to a personal situation.
He is 2-3 with a 3.95 ERA in seven games - six starts - against the Tigers in his career.