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Twins-Indians Preview

May 2, 2010 - 5:05 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Minnesota (15-8) at Cleveland (9-13), 1:05 p.m. EDT

More than three years after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Francisco Liriano is back to the dominant form he showed as a rookie with the Minnesota Twins - a scary thought for the rest of the AL Central.

Liriano looks to continue his outstanding start Sunday when the visiting Twins close a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians, possibly without their All-Star catcher.

Liriano (3-0, 0.93 ERA) emerged as one of the top young pitchers in 2006 when he went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA before undergoing elbow surgery, which sidelined him through 2007.

In 2008 and 2009, he was a combined 11-17 with a 5.12 ERA, but he earned the fifth starters spot in spring training and has validated that decision in his five starts since.

The Twins (15-9) have won all four of his starts and he has not allowed a run in his last three outings, spanning 23 innings. He pitched eight innings against Detroit on Tuesday, giving up four hits while striking out 10 in a 2-0 victory.

"I thought Liriano was terrific," Tigers manager Jim Leyland told the Twins' official website. "That's the best I've seen him for quite a while. He looks like he's obviously back to where he was, and he's very, very good when he is, and he was very good tonight."

The left-hander was fantastic against Cleveland (10-13) last month, giving up six hits and striking out six over eight innings of a 6-0 win April 21. He is 3-3 with a 3.57 ERA in his career against the Indians.

He'll try to help the Twins get back on track after they lost for the third time in four games Saturday, falling 5-4 in 11 innings.

Shin-Soo Choo drove in the tying run in the eighth and Asdrubal Cabrera delivered an RBI single in the 11th with two outs and the bases loaded.

"I feel comfortable in that spot," Cabrera said. "I wanted to put the ball in play and hit it hard. I felt normal. I didn't feel any pressure."

Cabrera, batting .471 in the last four games, is 4 for 8 with a home run against Liriano.

Denard Span and Michael Cuddyer each had three hits for the Twins on Saturday and Jim Thome hit a two-run homer, but Minnesota was without reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer, who bruised his left heel running the bases Friday.

"It's something you don't want to mess around with," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Heel bruises can really linger. We'll give him a day and see how he feels (Sunday)."

The Twins could really miss Mauer on Sunday. He is 6 for 14 with a home run against David Huff (1-3, 4.10), who will take the mound for Indians.

Huff failed to complete six innings for the first time in four starts this season Monday against the Angels. He allowed five runs and a career-high 12 hits, including two homers, over 5 1-3 innings in a 5-2 loss.

The left-hander is 2-3 with a 5.86 ERA in five starts against the Twins. He took the loss when matched up against Liriano last month, giving up four runs and three hits while walking six over six innings.