Final
Rangers-Twins Preview
May 29, 2010 - 5:11 AMVideo
Texas (26-21) at Minnesota (27-20), 4:10 p.m. EDT
The Minnesota Twins continue to get excellent starting pitching on this nine-game homestand.
They hope that trend continues as they send Carl Pavano to the mound Saturday when he tries to reverse his poor history against the Texas Rangers.
Minnesota (28-20) has posted a 2.70 ERA from its starters in the first seven games in this stretch at Target Field. Kevin Slowey was the latest Twins starter to excel, allowing one run over 6 2-3 innings to earn a 2-1 victory to open this weekend series Friday.
Pavano (4-5, 4.17 ERA) is the only starter to lose on this homestand, although he pitched well in Sunday's 4-3 loss to Milwaukee. He allowed four runs over eight innings, marking the sixth time in nine outings he has lasted at least seven.
The right-hander, however, did not pitch well against Texas (26-22) last season, going 0-2 with a 13.09 ERA in three outings. Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler went 5 for 6 with two homers in those games while Michael Young was 4 for 8 and Julio Borbon 3 for 5.
Those three Texas players combined for one hit in Friday's loss, and Young went 0 for 4 to end a 12-game hitting streak. Young batted .429 with nine RBIs during his run.
The Rangers have lost seven of eight on the road. Kinsler had a double in four at-bats and scored Texas' lone run when Vladimir Guerrero singled for his team-high 43rd RBI.
Texas slugger Nelson Cruz did not start because of a strained hamstring and grounded out as a pinch hitter. That ended a nine-game hit streak in which Cruz was 13 for 32 with three homers and 13 RBIs.
The Twins won despite minimal production once again from reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer and AL batting leader Justin Morneau. The duo went 1 for 5 with three walks.
It's clear that opponents are pitching carefully to Minnesota's stars. Mauer is 4 for 15 with two walks in his last four games while Morneau 2 for 10 with five walks.
Third baseman Nick Punto returned to the lineup after missing the past four games with a strained left ring finger. Punto was 0 for 1 with a walk and a hit by pitch.
After a string of outstanding outings, Texas starter C.J. Wilson (3-2, 3.07) hasn't fared as well in his last two. Wilson went 3-0 with a 1.26 ERA in five starts from April 22-May 13, but is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA since.
The left-hander gave up five runs over 5 2-3 innings Sunday in a 5-4 home loss to the Chicago Cubs. He attributed the problem to throwing 13 strikes on 14 first pitches to batters.
"Maybe I was throwing too many strikes, slash getting bad bounces," Wilson said.
Wilson has never started against the Twins, and has a 2.35 ERA in 17 relief appearances against them. He's got good numbers against Mauer (1 for 11), Morneau (2 for 10) and Michael Cuddyer (0 for 7), but those hitters very rarely got to face him a second time.
- Twins 8, Rangers 3 - FINAL
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E Andrus ss 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 .309
M Young 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 .312
I Kinsler 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .283
V Guerrero dh 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .335
J Hamilton lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .286
D Murphy rf 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 .252
J Smoak 1
May 29 7:02 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY JASON KUBEL ALLOWED ELVIS ANDRUS TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M YOUNG ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
MINNESOTA 8 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.286, 0-FOR-3)
Rangers 3, Twins 8 Top 8, 0 OutsMay 29 6:40 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JUSTIN MORNEAU SCORED ORLANDO HUDSON
SITUATION: 6 RUNS IN, J MORNEAU ON FIRST, J MAUER ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 8 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: M CUDDYER (.273, 1-FOR-3)
Rangers 2, Twins 8 Bot 7, 0 OutsMay 29 6:26 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY ORLANDO HUDSON SCORED J.J. HARDY
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, O HUDSON ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 7 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.331, 0-FOR-3)
Rangers 2, Twins 7 Bot 7, 0 OutsMay 29 6:22 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY J.J. HARDY SCORED DELMON YOUNG AND JASON KUBEL
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J HARDY ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 6 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: B HARRIS (.172, 0-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Twins 6 Bot 7, 0 OutsMay 29 6:18 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY DELMON YOUNG SCORED MICHAEL CUDDYER AND JUSTIN
MORNEAU
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D YOUNG ON SECOND, J KUBEL ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 4 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J HARDY (.239, 1-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Twins 4 Bot 7, 0 OutsMay 29 6:16 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ORLANDO HUDSON (3) TO LEFT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF C.J. WILSON SCORED DENARD SPAN.
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2, MINNESOTA 2
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MAUER (.333, 0-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Twins 2 Bot 6, 0 OutsMay 29 5:53 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JULIO BORBON SCORED DAVID MURPHY
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J BORBON ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 0 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: E ANDRUS (.312, 2-FOR-2)
Rangers 2, Twins 0 Top 5, 0 OutsMay 29 5:28 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JULIO BORBON SCORED JUSTIN SMOAK
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J BORBON ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 1
MINNESOTA 0 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: E ANDRUS (.308, 1-FOR-1)
Rangers 1, Twins 0 Top 3, 0 OutsMay 29 4:43 PM
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