Cleveland @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2013 ) Cleveland 0, Minnesota 3
The Minnesota Twins are out of contention for a playoff berth, but you never would be able to tell by their performance this month. Minnesota attempts to continue its impressive play in August on Tuesday, when it hosts the struggling Cleveland Indians in the middle contest of their three-game series. The Twins are 15 1/2 games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers in the American League Central and 13 games off the pace in the race for the second wild-card spot despite going 8-4 since the start of the month.
Minnesota posted its fourth win in five games Monday behind Andrew Albers, who tossed a two-hit shutout in just his second major-league start. The loss was the seventh in eight contests for the Indians, who trail the Tigers by seven games after beginning the month two behind the division leaders. Cleveland, which fell into third place in the division behind Kansas City, is 4 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the second AL wild-card spot.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, STO (Cleveland), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (4-7, 3.90 ERA) vs. Twins RH Samuel Deduno (7-5, 3.38)
McAllister enters with a six-start winless streak during which he is 0-4. The 25-year-old lasted a season-low 2 1/3 innings against Detroit on Thursday, surrendering six runs - five earned - on four hits and four walks in the defeat. McAllister has yet to defeat Minnesota, losing all three career starts while yielding 15 runs - eight earned - over nine frames.
Deduno is coming off his first loss in five outings as he surrendered four runs and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings at Kansas City on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Dominican had gone 3-0 while allowing a total of five runs in 27 frames over his previous four starts. Deduno fell to 2-1 lifetime against the Indians on June 21, when he yielded four runs in six innings at Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. All of Minnesota's last 22 runs have come via the home run.
2. Twins OF Wilkin Ramirez was activated from the disabled list Monday but did not play. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a concussion on May 25.
3. Cleveland placed INF Mark Reynolds on waivers Monday for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. The veteran slugger batted .215 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs in 99 games this season.
PREDICTION: Twins 5, Indians 4