Minnesota @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2015 ) Minnesota 4, Detroit 6

Hanging onto a four-run lead and managing more than two hits against a last-place team are a couple things the Minnesota Twins will need to fix if they hope to stay in the race for the second American League wild card. The Twins will attempt to avoid a third straight setback when they visit the Detroit Tigers in the second contest of a three-game series Saturday.

Minnesota sits 1 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros in the race for the second AL wild card and missed a chance to knock a game off that deficit when the bullpen let a 4-0 lead slip away in Friday’s series opener. The Twins got a three-run triple from Eddie Rosario in the loss but managed only Brian Dozier’s single as the other hit to fall for the seventh time in the last 10 games. The Tigers are trying to knock the division rivals out of the playoff race and already took one series at Minnesota earlier this month. Detroit has no idea what it will get from Alfredo Simon from start-to-start but will send the right-hander to the mound Saturday to face off against rookie Tyler Duffey.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Tyler Duffey (4-1, 3.15 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Alfredo Simon (13-10, 5.21)

Duffey is up to 183 2/3 innings across three levels this season and is being watched closely by the coaching staff and the front office as the team heads into the final nine games. The Texas native had his best outing since coming up to the majors on Aug. 5 when he held the Los Angeles Angels scoreless on three hits in seven innings on Sunday to earn a victory. Duffey surrendered one run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to beat Detroit on Sept. 14 and has not given up a home run in any of his last four starts.

Simon managed a quality start in a win at Minnesota on Sept. 15 but followed it up by getting hammered for eight runs on 13 hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings against Kansas City on Sunday. The Dominican Republic native yielded five or more runs in five of his last nine turns. Simon is 1-1 with a 4.96 ERA in three starts against the Twins in 2015, surrendering a total of 24 hits in 16 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers SS Jose Iglesias (finger) is unlikely to play again this season.

2. Rosario’s triple was his 15th of the season and fourth in the last 10 games.

3. Detroit OF Rajai Davis is 7-for-13 with four runs scored and three RBIs in the last three games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Twins 7