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Pirates-Twins Preview

Jun 15, 2009 - 7:58 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (30-33) at Minnesota (32-33), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The Minnesota Twins finished a 10-game road trip at .500, while sustaining three key injuries.

They'll attempt to withstand the potential absences Tuesday night when they open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Metrodome.

The Twins (32-33) could be without right fielder Michael Cuddyer, who returned home Sunday to have his strained right index finger examined by a specialist. Cuddyer, who missed four games after spraining a ligament May 31, aggravated the condition in Friday's 7-4 win over the Chicago Cubs. A move to the disabled list is possible.

"I can't see Cuddy bouncing back unless we get a miracle," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Cuddyer is hitting .262 with nine homers and 34 RBIs.

Twins third baseman Joe Crede may also be sidelined after he was scratched from Sunday's 3-2 loss at Chicago due to a stiff lower back.

An All-Star last year with the White Sox, the third baseman has been bothered throughout his career by back problems. He's batting .228 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs in his first season with Minnesota.

Denard Span, meanwhile, is expected to miss his sixth consecutive game with an inner ear infection and dizziness. The center fielder is taking medication, and will see a thyroid specialist Tuesday.

In a piece of positive injury news, the Twins are expected to activate Glen Perkins (1-3, 5.36 ERA) from the disabled list to start Tuesday's series opener.

The left-hander has been sidelined with elbow inflammation since May 18, when he lasted just two-thirds of an inning while giving up six runs and seven hits - including two homers - in a 7-6 loss at the New York Yankees. He was 0-2 with a 9.39 ERA in his final five starts before landing on the DL.

Perkins showed strong improvement during his second rehabilitation start at Class-A Fort Myers last Tuesday, yielding two hits with four strikeouts and a walk in seven shutout innings to get the victory.

Minnesota is 11-7 against Pittsburgh, including a 6-3 mark at the Metrodome, where the teams have not met since 2001.

The Pirates (30-33) are seeking their fifth win in six games after beating Detroit 6-3 on Sunday. The surge has them percentage points ahead of last-place Houston in the NL Central, and Sunday's win moved them within four games of first-place Milwaukee. Manager John Russell feels his club - which is trying to snap a string of 16 consecutive losing seasons - deserves respect.

"If you look at other divisions and see a team (four) games back, you would say they are in it," Russell told the Pirates' official Web site. "Unfortunately, people look at Pittsburgh and kind of brush us aside. If they want to underscore us then that's only going to be to our advantage. We just need to continue to peck away at our record."

Pittsburgh will turn to Paul Maholm (4-2, 3.61), who has helped the team win four of his last five starts with all of the victories coming on the road. He's 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA in those five outings.

The left-hander didn't get a decision despite turning in one of his best performances of the season in Thursday's 3-1 win at Atlanta. He yielded one unearned run and four hits with a season-high eight strikeouts in seven innings.

Maholm has made only one start against the Twins - on June 17, 2006 - allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings while not getting a decision in a 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh.