Baltimore @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( May 8, 2010 ) Baltimore 7, Minnesota 3
With rain pouring down all Friday morning and more scheduled for the night, the Minnesota Twins had to do something they hadn't done in nearly 30 years - postpone a game due to weather.
The Twins will make up for that rainout when they face the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night in the back end of a day-night doubleheader.
Minnesota, which opened Target Field in April, has spent the past 27 seasons indoors at the climate-control Metrodome - thus eliminating the need for rainouts. But in building an open-air stadium that was supposed to make summer baseball more enjoyable for their fans, the Twins knew there would be times in April and May when the weather wouldn't be so pleasant.
So instead of asking their fans to wait through a mix of rain and snow on Friday, Minnesota decided early in the day to announce the postponment and let its fans know that Saturday night, when it is expected to be partly sunny with temperatures in the low 50s, would be the better bet.
The Twins and Orioles shared a common day off on Monday but decided to keep the travel day and play the doubleheader.
The rainout was the first for Minnesota since Sept. 20, 1980, at the old Metropolitan Stadium.
Scott Baker will take the mound for the Twins in the nightcap. The right-hander is coming off a win over the Detroit Tigers in which he allowed three runs in seven innings. The victory was a strong turnaround for Baker, who had allowed 11 runs and 19 hits in nine total frames over his previous two starts.
Baker has handled Baltimore well during his career, owning a 3-0 record with a 2.93 ERA in five starts.
The Orioles will counter with veteran Kevin Millwood. The right-hander is coming off his strongest start of the season, an eight-inning effort against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday in which he allowed two runs in eight innings.
Millwood has gotten hammered by the Twins in his career, owning an 0-7 record with a 5.90 ERA in 12 starts. Michael Cuddyer is 10-for-23 off the right-hander while Justin Morneau has bashed Millwood for three homers among seven hits in 19 at-bats.
Millwood likely will not have to face reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer, who remains sidelined with a bruised left heel. J.J. Hardy, who has missed the past two games after jamming his wrist, is questionable as well.