Minnesota @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 15, 2010 ) Minnesota 1, NY Yankees 7
Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira are beginning to carry the New York Yankees.
The two stars will be looking to keep it going today as the New York Yankees aim for a sweep of the Minnesota Twins.
Rodriguez, who has hit at least 30 homers in every season since 1998, entered Friday's series opener with only three extra-base hits in his last 11 games and only three homers on the season. But the game's highest-paid player began to break out Friday, putting the Yankees ahead with a seventh-inning grand slam off Matt Guerrier.
It was the 19th grand slam of Rodriguez's career and moved him ahead of Frank Robinson into seventh place on the all-time home run list with 587. Rodriguez carried his stroke over to Saturday afternoon, plating New York's first run with a single and doubling off Jesse Crain in the seventh.
Teixeira, who entered the series batting a paltry .198, went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI on Friday and blasted a two-run homer on Saturday. The All-Star first baseman has made what few hits he has managed over the last 10 games very productive, driving in 16 runs over that span.
Rodriguez and Teixeira have combined for eight hits and eight RBIs in the first two games against the Twins.
Derek Jeter also seems happy to be back at the new Yankee Stadium, recording three hits in two games after going 3-for-29 during New York's recent seven-game road trip.
Attempting to stop the Yankees’ momentum will be Twins right-hander Nick Blackburn. The 28-year-old has won his last two starts and is coming off a seven-inning effort against Baltimore in which he allowed four hits and no runs.
The one big problem with Blackburn this season has been a tendency to allow home runs, yielding seven in 39 2/3 innings. He does not strike many people out - only nine so far this season - and has allowed 48 hits, so the home runs can inflict some major damage.
Blackburn has faced the Yankees four times in his career, going 0-1 with a 5.89 ERA while allowing four homers. Teixeira is 6-for-6 with a homer and five RBIs while Rodriguez is 3-for-9 with a homer against Blackburn.
The Twins will be facing swingman Sergio Mitre. The right-hander made his first start in place of an injured Andy Pettitte last week and is getting another turn because of a rainout in Detroit that forced a doubleheader.
Mitre lasted 4 1/3 innings at Detroit on Monday and was charged with four runs - three earned - on five hits to suffer the loss.
He should have his hands full again with the Twins. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are fighting it out with Detroit's Miguel Cabrera at the top of the American League batting average leaderboard and both have been sharp so far in this series, combining for eight hits and four RBIs in the two games.