• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Twins-Indians Preview

Aug 3, 2009 - 5:26 PM By ANDY LEFKOWITZ STATS Editor

Minnesota (52-53) at Cleveland (44-61), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Minnesota has All-Star sluggers Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, but it's Jason Kubel who has been the Twins' main home run threat against the Cleveland Indians this season.

After being swept in a series by the AL leader, the Twins open a three-game road set against one of the league's weakest clubs when they face the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Minnesota (52-53) lost 13-4 to Los Angeles on Sunday to cap a three-game sweep. The Twins were outscored 35-15 and outhit 52-30 in the series.

"Thank God they're getting out of here," said outfielder Denard Span. "They were just pretty much stealing our lunch money, kicking our butts."

The Twins have had better results versus the Indians this season, going 4-2 and 2-1 in Cleveland, where they begin a six-game road swing that closes with three contests against AL Central-leading Detroit.

"Right now we have to find ourselves again," manager Ron Gardenhire told the Twins' official Web site. "We have to get the confidence back."

With three power hitters set to face an Indians staff that's last in the AL with a 5.16 ERA, regaining confidence may not be that difficult.

Morneau leads the club with 28 homers and Mauer has hit a career-high 18 to tie Kubel for second.

Kubel padded his total with a pair of two-homer games versus the Indians, one of them coming June 4 when he drove in a season-high six runs in an 11-3 home win.

Kubel is batting .302 this year, but has hit .231 (18 for 78) in 25 career games in Cleveland. However, he had two solo homers there in the Twins' 7-1 victory April 25.

Scott Baker (8-7, 4.86 ERA) struck out a career-high 10 and gave up three runs in seven innings of the June 4 victory over the Indians. The right-hander hasn't pitched well at Progressive Field, though, going 2-4 with a 5.26 ERA in seven starts.

Baker allowed one run and four hits over six innings last Tuesday, but didn't get the decision in a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.

Though the Indians (44-61) are well out of the playoff chase, they have won seven of 10 and routed Detroit 11-1 on Sunday. Carl Pavano pitched eight innings for his team-high ninth win and Grady Sizemore and Asdrubal Cabrera hit two-run homers.

Continuing that recent success will be a challenge. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, slugger Victor Martinez, outfielder Ben Francisco and first baseman Ryan Garko were dealt last week before Friday's trade deadline, and the team moved veteran utilityman Mark DeRosa in June.

"It has been tough, losing guys you are closest too, but you still go out and play hard every day," said Sizemore, hitting .229 but leading the team with 15 homers. "We want to finish strong."

Cleveland will send rookie David Huff (5-5, 6.39) to the mound Tuesday. The right-hander has alternated losses and wins in his last three starts overall and at home.

Last Tuesday, Huff surrendered five runs and eight hits over seven innings in a 7-6 road loss to the Angels.

He faced the Twins for the first time June 2 and gave up four runs and nine hits in five innings of a 4-3 loss.