• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blue Jays-Twins Preview

Oct 2, 2010 - 5:34 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Toronto (83-76) at Minnesota (93-66), 1:10 p.m. EDT

Minnesota might be headed to the postseason, but the Twins have not played like a playoff team of late.

The AL Central champions look to avoid a third straight loss when they continue their home series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon.

Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire is confident his team will be ready for the postseason, but he might have reason for concern after the Twins fell 6-3 to Toronto on Friday, their seventh loss in eight games.

"We'll be fine confidence-wise, but it's always nice to win ballgames," Gardenhire said. "Always."

Minnesota (93-67), 1 1/2 games behind New York for the AL's best record, has been outscored 67-30 during the slump, while the starting rotation has posted an 8.76 ERA.

"We still have to win," Saturday's scheduled starter Brian Duensing told the Twins' official website. "You always want to go into the playoffs with some momentum. I'm glad we are losing games now, as opposed to earlier in the year."

Duensing (10-3, 2.44 ERA) makes his final start before taking the ball in Game 3 of the AL division series. The left-hander was 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his previous four starts before he allowed five runs - all on homers - and walked four in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-1 loss at Detroit on Sunday.

He allowed three runs in five innings but did not factor in the decision of a 6-3 loss in his only previous start against the Blue Jays on Sept. 8, 2009.

Duensing faces a Toronto club that's totaled 19 runs and 26 hits in the first two games of this series. Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer and was one of three players with three hits Friday for the Blue Jays (84-76), who have won three in a row and eight of nine.

"We're very pleased with the season," manager Cito Gaston said. "I don't think anybody expected us to win this many games."

Jose Bautista didn't homer, but had two hits to raise his average to .333 in seven games versus Minnesota this season. Five of Bautista major league-leading 54 home runs have come against the Twins. He is 2 for 3 with a double lifetime off Duensing.

Shaun Marcum (13-8, 3.63) looks to conclude the winningest season of his career on a positive note Saturday for the Blue Jays.

The right-hander, who missed 2009 while recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery, set a career high for wins Sunday, allowing one run in seven innings of a 5-2 victory over Baltimore.

"Missing last season obviously was unfortunate," he said, "but to be back here and have one start left and to finish the whole season without going under the knife again is a pretty good feeling."

Marcum is 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA in four career starts versus Minnesota. He gave up one run in seven innings of an 11-2 win over the Twins on May 18.

Joe Mauer is 3 for 9 against Marcum, but 1 for 8 in the series since returning from an 11-day absence due to an injured left knee.