Minnesota @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 13, 2013 ) Minnesota 4, NY Yankees 1
After using a power surge to pull out a rare victory against the New York Yankees, the Minnesota Twins will seek only their third win in July on Sunday when they wrap up their three-game road set. Minnesota’s 82 homers rank second-worst among American League teams, but the Twins went deep three times in Saturday’s 4-1 victory. Minnesota's win was its first in six tries versus the Yankees this season and only its 24th in its last 96 games (including playoffs) against them.
The Yankees fell to 9-4 in July, but are still 17-6 against AL Central opponents following Saturday’s setback. New York hasn’t dropped a series of any length - regular season or postseason - to the Twins since Aug. 11-13, 2008 and will turn to CC Sabathia, who has yet to lose to Minnesota as a member of the Yankees. Including postseason starts, the staff ace is 11-0 with a 2.01 ERA in his last 12 starts against the Twins.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North (Minnesota), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (1-2, 7.27 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (9-7, 3.99)
Five of Gibson’s six innings during Tuesday’s 4-1 setback against the Tampa Bay Rays were scoreless, but he paid for a four-run fourth to take the loss. In his third career start, the Twins’ 2009 first-round pick permitted only four hits but walked four – three more free passes than in his first two starts combined. Gibson took his first career loss against the Yankees on July 4 when he surrendered eight runs and 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Sabathia registered his 37th career complete game in Tuesday’s 3-1 home loss to the Kansas City Royals, but surrendered two homers among the three runs and seven hits he allowed. The six-time All-Star has given up 20 homers this season – tied for the third-highest total in the majors. Sabathia tallied his last win two starts ago on July 3 against the Twins, giving up two runs and striking out nine over seven innings to improve to 17-8 with a 2.96 ERA all-time against Minnesota.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York has held its opponents to four runs or fewer an AL-high 65 times. It is 46-19 in those contests.
2. Aaron Hicks’ bunt single to open the eighth inning Saturday ended an 0-for-39 stretch by Twins’ outfielders.
3. The Yankees have homered in only 11 of their last 34 games.
PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Twins 2