Cleveland @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2010 ) Minnesota 6, Cleveland 2
If the Minnesota Twins clinch the AL Central title in the next few days, it will likely come without catcher Joe Mauer.
Mauer left Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics with a sore left knee and could miss the three-game series against the Cleveland Indians, which that begins on Monday.
The injury isn't believed to be serious, but Mauer had surgery on his left knee in 2004 and the Twins wants to be cautious with the All-Star. It's hoped a couple of days off will cure the problem.
Despite Sunday's defeat, Minnesota moved another step closer to wrapping up its second straight division title after the second-place Chicago White Sox dropped a 9-7 decision in 11 innings to the Detroit Tigers. The Twins' magic number is down to four.
The Twins could also be without center fielder Denard Span (right shoulder) and right fielder Jason Kubel (left wrist). Minnesota's 10-game lead over the fading White Sox, who have lost six in a row, gives manager Ron Gardenhire a chance to rest his banged-up players until they're ready to play.
Brian Duensing, who is a key to the Twins' running away with the division, starts Monday's opener.
The left-hander is 6-1 in 10 starts since being moved into the rotation in late July. Duensing has pitched at least six innings nine times and is getting stronger with the added workload. Minnesota is 7-3 in games he starts.
Duensing is making his fifth appearance and second start against the Indians this season. He won his first start in Cleveland on Aug. 8, allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings. Duensing took control after giving up a three-run homer to Matt LaPorta in the the first inning.
Rookie Jeanmar Gomez has had his good moments with the Indians, but his last start against Los Angeles wasn't one of them. The right-hander allowed seven runs in the first two innings and didn't come out to the mound after the third.
Gomez is 0-4 in his last five starts and hasn't won since beating the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 12.
The Indians took two of three against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. Their hopes for a sweep ended in a 6-4 loss on Sunday.
Cleveland right fielder Shin-Soo Choo homered and stole a base, marking the second straight season he's had 20 homers and 20 steals in the same season.