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Twins-Royals Preview

Jun 30, 2009 - 4:31 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Minnesota (39-38) at Kansas City (32-42), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Minnesota Twins starter Scott Baker has mostly positive memories of facing the Kansas City Royals. His last start isn't one of them.

Baker looks to win his fourth straight decision Tuesday night and exact some revenge on the Royals when the Twins continue their three-game set at Kauffman Stadium.

The right-hander had been 5-0 with a 1.87 ERA in his previous six starts versus the Royals (33-42) heading into his outing May 3. Baker (5-6, 5.17 ERA) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Kansas City chased him with five straight hits, and all of them scored as he was eventually charged with a 7-5 loss.

"A little frustrating, obviously," said Baker after the defeat dropped him to 0-4 for the year. "Just try to take what you can take positively from the outing and just kind of go from there."

It was the second time Baker had a brush with history against Kansas City. He took a perfect game into the ninth inning on Aug. 31, 2007, at the Metrodome before issuing a leadoff walk to John Buck and allowing a one-out single by pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney.

Baker has pitched well over his last five outings, going 3-0 with a 3.41 ERA. He allowed three runs over six innings last Thursday to earn a 6-4 victory at Milwaukee.

Minnesota (39-39) has lost three straight against Kansas City after falling 4-2 on Monday. Luke Hochevar pitched seven scoreless innings for the Royals while Alberto Callaspo and Miguel Olivo hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected in the sixth for arguing whether a ball hit Jason Kubel's foot. His club committed two errors, lost for only the fifth time in 13 road games and fell to 4-3 on a seven-game trip.

"We've been playing pretty good, but we just had a clunker here tonight," Gardenhire said. "We just didn't make enough plays out there."

Minnesota All-Star catcher Joe Mauer went 0 for 4, and is in a bit of a slump. He's 9 for 41 (.220) with one homer and two RBIs in his last 11 games to see his average fall from .429 to a season-low .386.

Twins third baseman Joe Crede, a Missouri native, was scratched from the lineup Monday as a precaution due to back stiffness. Crede is a career. 321 hitter at Kauffman Stadium for his highest average in any AL park.

Kansas City right fielder Jose Guillen, meanwhile, did not play Monday due to stiffness in his left side. Guillen is 5 for 26 (.192) in his last six games.

Brian Bannister (5-5, 4.17) has pitched very well in three career starts versus the Twins at Kauffman Stadium, going 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA. He is 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA in seven career starts against them, yielding six runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 10-7, 11-inning victory at the Metrodome on May 2.

The right-hander is trying to avoid dropping a third straight start. He surrendered five runs over six innings Thursday in a 5-4 loss at Houston.