Minnesota @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2013 ) Minnesota 0, Washington 7

The Washington Nationals will get to make up for a couple of days off when it hosts the Minnesota Twins in a day-night doubleheader Sunday, and they need to turn things around after losing five of their past six contests. Picked by many to win the NL East, Washington finds itself in third place in the division behind second-place Philadelphia and division leader Atlanta. The Nationals were rained out Thursday against the New York Mets and Friday against Minnesota.

The Twins are trying to turn things around, winning four of six to open June after closing May with 11 losses in their final 16 games. Minnesota is sitting six games behind division-leading Detroit in the AL Central. Ryan Doumit, who drove in the game-winner Saturday, has hit safely in 10 of his past 11 games with 16 RBIs.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North (Minnesota), MASN 2 HD (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Samuel Deduno (2-1, 3.44 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Nathan Karns (0-1, 6.00).

Deduno was rocked by the Tigers in his season debut on May 24, but he has rebounded to win his last two outings with a pair of superb performances. Deduno tossed six scoreless innings of four-hit ball at Kansas City on Tuesday after limiting Milwaukee to one run on four hits in seven innings in his previous start.

Karns has been unable to get through five innings in either of his first two career starts. The 25-year-old righty gave up four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings of a 6-3 loss at Atlanta last time out. He has been hurt by the long ball, surrendering a pair in each start.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mauer hit his 16th interleague homer in Saturday’s 4-3, 11-inning victory.

2. Washington SS Ian Desmond singled in five at-bats, giving him a 10-game hitting streak.

3. The Twins have won five consecutive interleague contests.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Nationals 3