Minnesota @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2010 ) Minnesota 4, Tampa Bay 6
The Minnesota Twins saw their eight-game winning streak come crashing to an end on their visit to Tampa Bay.
Now, after back-to-back losses, the Twins have to get ready to take the Rays’ best punch.
Left-hander David Price (14-5) will take the mound Wednesday night as Tampa Bay looks to make it three consecutive victories over Minnesota.
Already the American League leader in victories, the 24-year-old Price will be looking to set a franchise record for single-season wins.
The starter for the AL in this year’s All-Star Game, Price has lost just once at home this season, going 7-1 with a 2.12 ERA in his nine starts at Tropicana Field.
Having notched a decision in all but one of his 20 starts this season, Price is likely to be extra amped up tonight, pitching one day after Tampa Bay wrested sole possession of first place in the American League East from the New York Yankees with Tuesday night’s 6-4 victory over the Twins.
One of Price’s few losses this season, though, came at the hands of Minnesota. He allowed two runs on just four hits in eight innings to drop a 2-1 decision to the Twins on July 2.
Price was bested on that night by right-hander Scott Baker, who will start for the Twins tonight. Baker (9-9) allowed just one run on six hits while striking out eight in that matchup.
Baker, who won 15 games a year ago, has won two straight starts despite lasting just 5 1/3 innings his last time out in a 5-3 win over Seattle. He is 2-2 with a 4.21 ERA in five career starts vs. the Rays.
The 28-year-old right-hander will have his hands full trying to slow down Tampa Bay, which has won 10 times in the last 11 games.
The Rays got three-run home runs from Sean Rodriguez and B.J. Upton on Tuesday night, improving to 8-1 on their current 11-game homestand.
Jeff Niemann pitched seven solid innings to become the fourth pitcher on the staff to reach 10 wins, putting Tampa Bay moved alone in first place in the AL East for the first time since June 12.
The Twins did welcome back All-Star catcher and reigning Most Valuable Player Joe Mauer, who had sat out the past two games after taking a cortisone shot in his ailing shoulder.
Mauer went 3-for-4 with three RBI singles, giving him 12 RBIs in his past six games, during which he has gone 15-for-23.
Minnesota also got two hits, including a solo homer from Drew Butera, as it fell 1 ½ games behind the front-running Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.