Tampa Bay @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 7, Minnesota 4

Evan Longoria looks to belt a home run for a fourth straight contest Sunday, when his slugging Tampa Bay Rays visit the Minnesota Twins for the finale of their four-game set. Longoria is riding an eight-game hitting streak and launched one of four blasts in Saturday’s 7-4 triumph by the Rays, who seek their first series victory since sweeping Toronto from May 16-18.

Red-hot Logan Morrison went deep in his second consecutive contest Saturday for Tampa Bay to extend his hitting streak to eight games while teammate Brad Miller has hit safely in seven straight. Drew Smyly hopes to snap out of a slump as he takes the ball for the Rays on Sunday against the American League’s lowest-scoring team. The Twins, who are averaging 3.71 runs per contest with an AL-low 16 victories, have lost five of six since posting a four-game winning streak. Eduardo Nunez has given quite a boost to Minnesota's offense of late, registering multiple hits in seven of his last 10 contests.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Drew Smyly (2-7, 4.77 ERA) vs. Twins RH Tyler Duffey (2-4, 4.57)

Smyly has suffered three consecutive losses after allowing eight runs and 12 hits over four innings last time out against Kansas City. The 26-year-old Arkansas product gave up two or fewer earned runs in five of his first six starts this season but has done the same just twice in the last five. Eduardo Escobar is 4-for-6 with two homers versus Smyly, who is 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA in 15 games (five starts) against Minnesota.

Duffey has struggled in his last three starts as well, but he managed to notch a victory on May 25, when he gave up five runs over 6 2/3 innings against the Royals. The 25-year-old Houston native yielded a total of five earned runs (eight overall) in his first four starts of the season. Duffey surrendered two runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 frames without factoring in the decision in his lone career start versus the Rays last year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota CF Byron Buxton has hit safely in a career-high six games, going 8-for-24 in that span.

2. Tampa Bay C Hank Conger has recorded two multi-hit performances in his last four contests and is 6-for-13 in that stretch to raise his batting average to .208.

3. Twins manager Paul Molitor, in his second season at the helm, is one shy of his 100th career victory.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Twins 3