Minnesota @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2016 ) Minnesota 3, Tampa Bay 7

The Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins share more than just their lot in the standings as the cellar-dwelling clubs each quietly have won seven of their last 10. The Rays and Twins will look to extend their recent bit of good fortune in an otherwise unlucky season on Sunday afternoon when the American League bottom feeders play the rubber match of their three-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Brad Miller had an RBI single in Saturday's 7-3 victory over Minnesota to extend his hitting streak to five games, during which he has three homers, six RBIs and as many runs scored. Evan Longoria snapped a 2-for-26 slump by going deep among his two hits on Saturday and is 4-for-10 versus Sunday starter Kyle Gibson to join the 26-year-old Miller (5-for-11) in taking the right-hander to task. Jorge Polanco, who ripped a two-run single on Saturday, is 11-for-28 with six RBIs in seven games since returning to the Twins' lineup. Brian Dozier had an RBI double to extend his career-high hitting streak to 15 games and is 3-for-6 with a homer and four RBIs in his career versus Sunday starter Matt Andriese.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (3-6, 4.94 ERA) vs. Rays RH Matt Andriese (6-2, 2.72)

Gibson was unable to take advantage of an 8-0 lead against Cleveland on Tuesday and exited with a no-decision after allowing six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old will look to rebound versus Tampa Bay, against which he is 0-4 with a bloated 8.85 ERA while permitting 20 runs on 31 hits. The Rays are batting a robust .360 as a team against Gibson, who has surrendered five homers in his last four games.

With Matt Moore now in San Francisco, Andriese returned to the rotation and allowed one run on three hits in four innings of a no-decision versus Kansas City on Tuesday. The 26-year-old owns a 5-1 mark with a 2.87 ERA as a starter and picked up the win in his last meeting with Minnesota on June 4 after permitting three runs in five innings. Andriese was victorious in his following two trips to the mound, but has since gone 0-1 with one save in his subsequent 11 appearances.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay clinched its first winning homestand of the season on Saturday, with the club posting a 6-3 mark in the 10-game stretch.

2. Twins veteran 1B Joe Mauer has reached base safely in 21 straight games versus the Rays.

3. Tampa Bay 2B Logan Forsythe is 9-for-20 with eight runs scored in August.

PREDICTION: Twins 4, Rays 3