San Diego @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 21, 2014 ) Minnesota 2, San Diego 0

The Minnesota Twins will try to carry a sudden offensive surge into the opener of a two-game series at home against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. After dropping 10 of their first 14 games following the All-Star break, the last-place Twins secured an 8-6 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday before breaking out for a 16-3 victory Sunday. The runs as well as the 23 hits - five from rookie Danny Santana - represented a team season high.

San Diego is riding a surge of its own, having won three straight and 10 of its last 15 to gain a stronghold on third place in the National League West. The Padres completed a sweep of Atlanta on Sunday with their second straight extra-inning win, which came on the heels of a 10-1 drubbing of the Braves on Friday. Will Venable (9-for-18 with two home runs over his last five games) and Tommy Medica (three home runs, three games) have helped lead the charge for what has been baseball's worst offense by a wide margin most of the year.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Jesse Hahn (7-2, 2.01 ERA) vs. Twins RH Phil Hughes (10-8, 4.12)

Hahn's remarkable rookie run continued Wednesday, when he allowed a run and only four hits in seven innings to top St. Louis. He is 7-1 with a 1.44 ERA over his last eight starts and has not allowed a single home run in 50 innings during that span. The Virginia Tech product has yielded 11 hits in 24 innings on the road this year.

Hughes left his last home start early after taking a hard shot off his right shin, but bounced back six days later to post a quality start - only his second in his last eight starts - in a tough loss at Kansas City on Wednesday. He gave up three runs and struck out five in six innings, leaving his road ERA at an impressive 2.92. The 28-year-old, who has been less successful at home with a 3-5 record and a 5.51 ERA, spun seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 win at San Diego on May 21.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota has won the last eight meetings, including two in San Diego in May.

2. Santana is hitting .375 with two home runs, two triples, two doubles and nine RBIs over his last seven games.

3. Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe was 9-for-14 with three walks in the three-game series versus the White Sox.

PREDICTION: Twins 4, Padres 3