Final
Rangers-Twins Preview
May 30, 2010 - 1:42 AMVideo
Texas (26-22) at Minnesota (28-20), 8:05 p.m. EDT
Some much-needed clutch hitting helped put Minnesota in position to sweep its second series of the season.
The Twins try for a fourth straight victory Sunday while looking to sweep the visiting Texas Rangers for the first time in almost three years.
Delmon Young's bases-loaded, two-run double highlighted a six-run seventh inning in Minnesota's 8-3 win over Texas on Saturday.
The Twins (29-20), who took Friday's series opener 2-1, now have a chance for their first series sweep since winning three games against Detroit from May 3-5. They haven't swept Texas since Sept. 17-19, 2007, at the Metrodome.
Though the Twins lead the AL Central and are among the best clubs in the league in both runs (240) and on-base percentage (.357), they entered Saturday's contest batting .167 with the bases loaded.
"I'd rather have more problems with the bases loaded than never get bases loaded," said Young, a lifetime .352 hitter against Texas.
Young, batting .320 with eight RBIs in his last seven games overall, came through Saturday and J.J. Hardy followed with a two-run single to help the Twins overcome a 2-0 deficit and improve to 17-9 at Target Field.
"I've seen some games where we had the bases loaded four or five times and don't get a run in," said Minnesota's Orlando Hudson, who had a double, a homer and three RBIs. "It's one of those things."
After Carl Pavano pitched a solid seven innings Saturday, Minnesota hopes to get a solid effort from Scott Baker (4-4, 4.48 ERA) as he tries to avoid a third straight loss.
The Twins' opening-day starter, Baker had allowed eight runs and 18 hits in 12 innings while losing his two previous starts before giving up three hits in five scoreless innings of Tuesday's suspended game against the New York Yankees. He didn't get a decision in Minnesota's eventual 1-0 defeat.
The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.25 ERA in six starts against the Rangers (26-23).
Texas has dropped three straight and five of six since winning a season-high five in a row, falling one-half game behind Oakland for the AL West lead in the process. The Rangers are batting .220 and have totaled six runs during the three-game skid.
All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler has been a big part of the struggles, going 1 for 12 in the last three games and 0 for 4 on Saturday.
Derek Holland (2-0, 2.95) will make his third start since the Rangers called him up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 12.
After winning his first two starts, Holland allowed three runs and four hits in six innings of a 5-4, 10-inning loss against the Chicago Cubs on May 22.
"My pitches were up. It's my job to get the ball down," he told the Rangers' official website.
The left-hander, who allowed a run in an inning of relief in a 5-2 loss at Kansas City on Wednesday, is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Twins.
The Rangers have lost eight of their last nine on the road, falling to 8-14 away from home on the season.
- Twins 6, Rangers 3 - FINAL
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E Andrus ss 5 0 2 1 0 1 3 .311
M Young 3b 4 1 2 0 1 0 1 .315
I Kinsler 2b 4 1 1 0 1 0 3 .282
V Guerrero dh 5 0 1 1 0 0 3 .332
J Hamilton lf 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 .281
D Murphy rf 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .252
J Smoak 1
May 30 11:19 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JASON KUBEL SCORED MICHAEL CUDDYER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KUBEL ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
MINNESOTA 6 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D YOUNG (.261, 0-FOR-1, BB, SF, RBI)
Rangers 3, Twins 6 Bot 7, 0 OutsMay 30 10:41 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ELVIS ANDRUS SCORED MATT TREANOR
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, E ANDRUS ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 3
MINNESOTA 5 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M YOUNG (.313, 1-FOR-2, BB)
Rangers 3, Twins 5 Top 6, 0 OutsMay 30 10:07 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY DELMON YOUNG SCORED MICHAEL CUDDYER
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J KUBEL ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 5 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J HARDY (.244, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Rangers 2, Twins 5 Bot 3, 0 OutsMay 30 9:28 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON KUBEL SCORED JUSTIN MORNEAU
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KUBEL ON FIRST, M CUDDYER ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 4 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D YOUNG (.263, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Rangers 2, Twins 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsMay 30 9:26 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY JOSH HAMILTON SCORED IAN KINSLER
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, V GUERRERO ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 2
MINNESOTA 3 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.258, 1-FOR-1)
Rangers 2, Twins 3 Top 3, 0 OutsMay 30 9:12 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY VLADIMIR GUERRERO SCORED MICHAEL YOUNG
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, V GUERRERO ON FIRST, I KINSLER ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 1
MINNESOTA 3 TOP,3RD
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J HAMILTON (.284, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 1, Twins 3 Top 3, 0 OutsMay 30 9:11 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DENARD SPAN SCORED J.J. HARDY
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D SPAN ON FIRST, N PUNTO ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0
MINNESOTA 3 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: O HUDSON (.311, 1-FOR-1)
Rangers 0, Twins 3 Bot 2, 0 OutsMay 30 8:59 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY NICK PUNTO SCORED DELMON YOUNG
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, N PUNTO ON FIRST, J HARDY ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0
MINNESOTA 2 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: D SPAN (.287, 0-FOR-1)
Rangers 0, Twins 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsMay 30 8:54 PM - AL
AT MINNESOTA - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JOE MAUER SCORED ORLANDO HUDSON
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J MAUER ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0
MINNESOTA 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR MINNESOTA: J MORNEAU (.371, 11 HR, 36 RBI)
Rangers 0, Twins 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsMay 30 8:23 PM
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