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Royals-Twins Preview

Sep 7, 2010 - 12:11 AM By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer

Kansas City (57-79) at Minnesota (80-57), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The Minnesota Twins have put together an outstanding run in the second half of the season. Francisco Liriano has been one of the biggest contributors to that excellence.

Liriano will look to win his seventh straight decision and help the Twins extend their winning streak to five games Tuesday night against the visiting Kansas City Royals.

Liriano (12-7, 3.27 ERA) is undefeated since the All Star break, going 6-0 with a 2.17 ERA and striking out 61 in 58 innings. The left-hander has been pitching every seven days since Aug. 6, and appears to be benefiting from the extra rest.

"I feel way better," Liriano said after throwing seven scoreless innings Wednesday in Minnesota's 2-1, 10-inning victory over Detroit.

He also tossed seven shutout innings in his last start against the Royals, a 19-1 win on July 26. He is 3-3 with a 4.46 ERA in seven career starts versus Kansas City (57-80).

The Twins (81-57) kept up their stellar play with a 5-4 win in Monday's series opener, getting fifth-inning home runs from Jim Thome and Jason Kubel.

Thome's homer was the 585th of his career and his 46th against the Royals, his third most against any opponent. Thome is 4 for 5 with three homers and six RBIs in his last two games.

With their ninth win in 11 games, the first-place Twins remained 3 1/2 games ahead of red-hot Chicago in the AL Central. Minnesota has won 17 of 20 at home.

Manager Ron Gardenhire had to use five relievers to pitch the final five innings Monday. Eight of Minnesota's last nine games have been decided by one run.

"You don't have to tell me that, I know," Gardenhire said. "We can't get to sleep at night. We've needed our bullpen to step up for us and we're going to need them down the stretch."

Minnesota is 10-3 against the Royals in 2010, outscoring them 103-57. Leading the way has been Joe Mauer, batting .529 with a homer and 17 RBIs against Kansas City this season.

With his club playing both the Twins and the White Sox this week, Royals manager Ned Yost is in a tough predicament.

"In fairness to Minnesota and Chicago, we're playing everyone at their best position," he said. "Of course I have guys I want to look at and evaluate in certain situations, but we're going to do that more after this week."

Taking the mound for the Royals will be Brian Bannister (7-11, 5.95), who was activated from the disabled list Friday after missing time with rotator cuff tendinitis. His last start came Aug. 2, when he gave up five runs in five innings of a 6-0 loss to Oakland.

Bannister is 0-6 in his last seven starts, and owns the second-highest ERA in all of baseball amongst pitchers with at least 20 starts.

Bannister is 1-5 with a 6.35 ERA in his last eight starts against the Twins, with the lone win coming April 25 at home. Thome and Michael Cuddyer have particularly been trouble for the right-hander, going 19 for 51 with five homers against him.