Minnesota @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( May 17, 2010 ) Minnesota 8, Toronto 3
The Rogers Centre has been a launching pad this season – and the Minnesota Twins are more than eager to get into the act.
The Twins look for their booming bats to strike again as they wind up a two-game series Tuesday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays. Following their second head-to-head meeting in less than 24 hours, the teams will go their separate ways - with Minnesota heading to Boston and the Blue Jays hitting the West Coast, beginning in Seattle.
Toronto has led the majors in home runs for the majority of the season, but it was the Twins who fancied the long ball in Monday’s series-opening 8-3 victory. Canadian Justin Morneau bashed a pair of homers – despite entering the day with a paltry .177 career batting average at the Rogers Centre – while Delmon Young added a solo shot.
Morneau has been on a tear, enjoying a rare stretch of good health and swinging the bat as well as he has in his entire career. The native of New Westminster, B.C. leads the American League with a .374 batting average, and is near the top of the league in homers (11) and RBIs (29).
His sensational performance Monday overshadowed a solid effort from teammate Joe Mauer, who had three hits to raise his average to .360. It was Mauer’s third three-hit game in the past six, and while the power isn’t quite there yet – he has just two homers – the All-Star catcher has been doing a good job of getting on base for his red-hot teammate.
A similar performance Tuesday would certainly please Twins starter Carl Pavano (4-3). The veteran right-hander has allowed exactly two earned runs in each of his previous four starts, but has just two victories to show for it.
Pavano is coming off a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox in his previous outing. He scattered six hits and a walk over seven strong innings, lowering his ERA to 3.30.
The Blue Jays send righty Shaun Marcum (2-1) to the mound. Marcum has been equally snake-bitten by a lack of run support - he has allowed three runs or fewer in seven of his eight starts, but didn’t earn his first victory until May 2.
Marcum was sensational in his last start, a 3-2 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 28-year-old tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out six.
Jose Bautista was the lone bright spot for the Jays on Monday, belting his fourth home run in three games. The utilityman was named American League player of the week earlier in the day after hitting .444 with four home runs and eight RBIs.