Baltimore @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Mar 26, 2010 ) Minnesota 4, Baltimore 3
The Minnesota Twins are riding high despite the absence of their star catcher. The Baltimore Orioles keep finding new ways to sink lower.
The Twins will be looking to take advantage of the lowly Orioles when they open up a four-game series on Thursday.
Reigning American League MVP Joe Mauer has not played since suffering a deep soft-tissue bruise in his left heel on April 30 at Cleveland. Mauer had an MRI on Tuesday that revealed no structural damage and warmed up on Wednesday but did not play.
Manager Ron Gardenhire is content to wait until his star is fully healed before inserting him back into the lineup, throwing his availability for this weekend's series up in the air.
Gardenhire doesn’t have any reason to be in a rush after his team swept the division-rival Detroit Tigers last series and has won four straight without their All-Star.
Rookie Wilson Ramos, who had seven hits through his first two games filling in for Mauer, has gone hitless in the last two contests.
J.J. Hardy, who tripled and scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday, missed Wednesday's game with a jammed left wrist and is questionable for Thursday.
Denard Span helped pick up the slack with a three-hit effort in Wednesday's 5-4 win while Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel each recorded an RBI in the series finale. The victory increased the Twins' lead in the AL Central to 3 1/2 games with just over a month gone in the 2010 campaign.
Baltimore is on the opposite end of the spectrum, coming off three straight losses to the New York Yankees. The O’s are now officially the worst team in the majors at 7-21. The Orioles were outscored 15-7 in the New York series, which is becoming the story of their season. They are the lowest scoring team in the AL East this year and have also allowed the most runs.
Ty Wigginton leads the team with nine home runs and 17 RBIs while filling in around the infield. Wigginton was supposed to remain a utility player this season, but an injury to Brian Roberts has caused an increase in Wigginton's playing time.
It's safe to say that Baltimore management did not design this team with Wigginton in mind as its most dangerous offensive weapon.
Minnesota will send Carl Pavano out on Thursday to deal with Wigginton and company. The right-handed Pavano has had one terrible start this season, in which he allowed seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. He’s been strong in four other outings though, combining to allow six runs in 28 innings.
Pavano has succeeded this season with pinpoint control, issuing only three walks while striking out 22 in 31 1/3 frames.
The Orioles will counter with right-hander Brad Bergesen. The 24-year-old was banished to the minors after allowing 20 runs - 14 earned - in 10 1/3 innings through three starts but was recalled on May 1.
Bergesen yielded four runs in five innings against the Red Sox in his return and surrendered a pair of homers. He still got credit for the win in that one in a wild 12-9 victory.