Minnesota @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2010 ) Philadelphia 4, Minnesota 8
In shortly over a 24-hour span, the Minnesota Twins will have faced a pitcher who can do no wrong and another who can seemingly do no right.
After flamethrower Ubaldo Jimenez helped the Colorado Rockies salvage the finale of their three-game series on Thursday afternoon, the Twins (38-28) will test their mettle against struggling right-hander Joe Blanton and the Philadelphia Phillies (34-30) on Friday.
Talk about your extremes.
On one hand, Jimenez is chasing history while watching his record (13-1) rise like a hot-air balloon and his ERA (1.15) sink like President Obama's approval rating.
On the other hand, Blanton takes his gaudy 1-5 record and bloated 7.28 ERA to the hill today after a series of miserable starts. In his last outing Saturday, the 29-year-old right-hander allowed nine runs in four innings in a 10-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Signed to a three-year, $24 million deal in January, Blanton is hoping to repeat last season's second-half surge. In 2009, the Tennessee native posted a 10-5 mark with a 3.16 ERA in his final 23 starts.
Minnesota will counter with Nick Blackburn (6-3, 4.96 ERA), who bounced back from two putrid starts with a solid outing against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. The 28-year-old right-hander permitted two runs and six hits with a season-high five strikeouts in seven innings, but took a no-decision when the Braves rallied to victory.
Blackburn has impeccable control and has walked no more than two batters in an outing this season.
The Twins will not represent a walk in the park for the Phillies, who have posted a 4-5 interleague mark following a pair of three-game sets against the Red Sox and a World Series rematch with the New York Yankees.
On Thursday, Shane Victorino belted a two-run homer and Raul Ibanez slapped an RBI double as the Phillies scored four in the ninth to cruise to a 7-1 triumph over the Yankees.
The Phillies were able to take the final two at Yankee Stadium to win the series. Of course, New York was able to win the more important series between the two in October, but that's another story.
For what it's worth, Philadelphia should receive a reprieve after its three-game set against the Twins. After all, the Phillies will face the downtrodden Cleveland Indians next week.
Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire admitted after Thursday's 5-1 setback to the Rockies that he would wait to consider a roster move in regard to second baseman Orlando Hudson, who is saddled with a left wrist injury.
Hudson, who is currently on the disabled list, will need to be pain-free during today's batting practice in order to be activated. He is batting .305 with three home runs and 16 RBIs this season.