Minnesota @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2010 ) Minnesota 6, NY Mets 0
The Minnesota Twins have a chance to do something that hasn't happened often lately - they can beat the New York Mets in a series at Citi Field.
After snapping a season-long four-game losing streak Saturday, the Twins can claim the series with another win this afternoon against the Mets, who will try to lock up their sixth consecutive home series and their 10th series win in their last 11 at Citi Field.
To send the Mets to their first series defeat at home since May 10-12 against Washington, the Twins will need a strong road start from 28-year-old right-hander Scott Baker, who has struggled away from Target Field.
Baker (6-6, 4.61 ERA) is 1-4 with a 5.93 ERA in seven road starts and is winless in five starts away from home since April 10. That rough stretch includes his last outing, as he gave up five runs and nine hits over six innings Tuesday at Milwaukee, taking the loss in a 7-5 defeat.
That was a continuation of a rough month for Baker, who has allowed four or more runs in three of his four starts this month and is 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA in June.
None of that adds up to a good formula against the Mets, who despite Saturday's 6-0 loss have the league's second-best home record at 27-12. They've won 13 of 16 at home and 15 of 20 overall.
The Mets are 16-6 in June, and their few losses have come when they have struggled at the plate - they've scored a total of 11 runs in six losses this month.
The offense sputtered Saturday, managing just three singles against Twins starter Carl Pavano, who tossed his second consecutive complete game. The first five hitters in the Mets' lineup combined to go 0-for-17 Saturday.
They hope to provide a bit more support today for 23-year-old left-hander Jonathon Niese (4-2, 4.17 ERA), who has won his last three decisions but looks to bounce back from his first rough outing since returning from a stint on the disabled list.
In his first three starts back, he was 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in 23 innings, but he took a no-decision Tuesday, allowing six runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings of the Mets' 14-6 win against Detroit.
Left-handed batters hit 49 points lower against Niese than right-handers (.244 vs. .293), but that might be a moot point against the Twins, who hit .268 against lefties and .272 against righties despite a lineup loaded with left-handed hitters. And facing left-hander Johan Santana certainly didn't slow down the Twins on Saturday, when they scored four runs in the first inning against their former ace.
Two of those left-handed sluggers have been hot lately. Jason Kubel has hit safely in 16 of 17 games after going 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs on Saturday. Kubel is 22-for-60 (.367) with four homers and 10 RBIs during the stretch. First baseman Justin Morneau went 0-for-4 Saturday, snapping a seven-game hitting streak and a string of six consecutive multi-hit games, but he's still 13-for-31 (.419) in his last seven games.