Baltimore @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( May 8, 2010 ) Baltimore 1, Minnesota 6
Joe Mauer made a brief cameo for the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night. A lengthier return to the lineup can't be far off.
The Twins hope to have Mauer back full time when they close out a four-game series today against the Baltimore Orioles.
The reigning American League MVP, Mauer has been out since suffering a deep heel bruise running out a grounder on April 30. His absence has left a huge hole in the middle of the Minnesota lineup and a gap at his usual position behind the plate.
That gap was readily apparent on Thursday when the Twins dropped the first game of the series, 2-0, and fell in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, 7-3.
Back-to-back losses to any other team wouldn't be much cause for concern, but dropping two straight to the worst team in the majors isn't the type of thing that clubs with playoff aspirations like to do.
Mauer took batting practice before the first game Saturday and was fitted for special orthotics in his shoes, but he was held out because he was still unable to run the bases at full speed.
Manager Ron Gardenhire inserted Mauer as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of a 6-1 win Saturday night, but the All-Star struck out with the bases loaded.
Gardenhire may use Mauer as the designated hitter today.
The Twins have also been without shortstop J.J. Hardy for the past few days because of a sore left wrist.
Rookie Brian Matusz will get the ball for the Orioles in the series finale. The 23-year-old left-hander is coming off back-to-back losses - both against the New York Yankees - despite yielding a total of four earned runs in 12 innings in the two starts.
Matusz has allowed three runs or less in five of his six starts this season but has seen his strikeout numbers dip.
The lefty punched out seven or more in each of his first three outings but set down only four against the Boston Red Sox on April 24 and managed just two in each of the starts against the Yankees.
He made one start against Minnesota in a brief stint in the majors last season, surrendering three runs and seven hits in five innings, but did not factor in the decision.
The Twins will counter with right-hander Nick Blackburn, who is coming off his first complete game of the season. The 28-year-old allowed three runs and 11 hits but hung on against the Detroit Tigers for the win.
Blackburn has had the same problems as Matusz, managing just nine strikeouts in 32 2/3 total innings this season. Prior to his complete game Tuesday, Blackburn had allowed five earned runs in three straight starts.
He has gotten knocked around by Baltimore in the past, going 0-2 while allowing nine earned runs and 19 hits over 9 2/3 total frames.