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Twins-Rays Preview

Aug 2, 2010 - 12:30 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Minnesota (58-46) at Tampa Bay (64-39), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Trying to win nine straight for the first time in two seasons, the Minnesota Twins look for another strong performance from their starting rotation. Right-hander Carl Pavano would like to see that too.

Pavano tries to win his career-best ninth straight decision Monday night when the Twins face a Tampa Bay Rays club also making a push for its division lead.

Minnesota (59-46), winners of 10 of 11 and a season-high 13 games above .500, opens this four-game series in St. Petersburg one-half game behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox.

Tampa Bay (65-39), which has won eight of nine, trails the New York Yankees by one game in the AL East after winning two of three against the defending champs over the weekend.

Both club's starting pitching has been outstanding of late, but the Twins are getting much better offensive production. Minnesota's starters have a 1.24 ERA in the last 11 games, while the team is batting .342 and averaging 7.2 runs during this stretch.

Tampa Bay's starters have a 2.73 ERA in the last nine games, but the Rays are hitting only .237 and averaging 4.3 runs in these contests.

"We're hitting pretty good, we're pitching pretty well," Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano said after striking out a season high-tying 11 in Sunday's 4-0 win over Seattle. "So we've just got to keep playing the way we're playing and we'll be OK."

Pavano (13-6, 3.21 ERA) will try to give Minnesota its first nine-game winning streak since a 10-game run June 17-27, 2008. Coming off consecutive complete games, the veteran threw 98 pitches in five innings of Tuesday's 11-2 win at Kansas City. It was Pavano's shortest outing since May 18.

"The guys picked me up huge today," he told the Twins' official website after winning his fourth consecutive start. "... Everyone is having quality at-bats and there are guys stepping up."

Minnesota has scored 32 runs while winning Pavano's last five outings.

Pavano, who has won five straight road decisions, did not earn a decision in a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the visiting Rays on July 1, allowing three runs and seven hits over 6 1-3 innings.

Looking to limit the starters' innings for the final two months of the regular season, the Rays will continue their season-long 11-game homestand with 23-year-old right-hander Jeremy Hellickson making his major league debut.

The MVP of the 2009 Triple-A national championship game, Hellickson went 12-3 with a 2.45 ERA at Triple-A Durham this season.

"It's about being comfortable with this pitcher as well as trying to give these other guys an extra day," manager Joe Maddon told the Rays' official website.

Hellickson probably wouldn't mind if Twins catcher Joe Mauer doesn't return after missing Sunday's game with right shoulder tendinitis. The reigning AL MVP is 12 for 19 with 10 RBIs in his last five games and is batting .429 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 14 career games at Tropicana Field.

Twins left fielder Delmon Young is batting .500 with three home runs and 17 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.

Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford, who went 8 for 20 as the Rays won three of four at Minnesota last month, is 10 for 25 lifetime against Pavano.

Evan Longoria has one hit in 11 at-bats versus the Twins starter.

Tampa Bay has won 12 of 14 at home. Minnesota is one win shy of matching its longest road winning streak since a six-game stretch Aug. 14-26, 2007.