• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Twins eye third straight win in Kansas City

Jun 4, 2011 - 2:42 PM (Sports Network) - It has been a disastrous season for Minnesota, but the Twins keep fighting and if there is one team to never count out it is Ron Gardenhire's gang.

As if dealing with Joe Mauer's season-long injury was not enough, now the Twins have to find ways to win without Jim Thome and Jason Kubel, both of whom were placed on the disabled list earlier this week.

However, this is a veteran club that is led by one of the best managers in baseball and is a team who knows how to string together wins. Minnesota will be looking for its third straight victory this evening when it continues a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

On Friday, Carl Pavano went the distance to earn his 100th career victory, as Minnesota topped Kansas City, 5-2. Denard Span and Drew Butera each drove in a pair of runs and Michael Cuddyer hit a solo homer for the Twins, whose winning streak comes on the heels of losing four in a row.

Pavano (3-5) turned in his first nine-inning complete game since July 22, allowing nine hits and two runs with four strikeouts.

Brayan Pena and Alex Gordon notched an RBI apiece for the Royals, losers in five of their last seven. Danny Duffy (0-1) was charged in the setback with three runs on seven hits over five full frames.

Minnesota will try to keep the momentum rolling tonight when Nick Blackburn toes the rubber. The right-hander was ineffective in his last outing, allowing five runs in six innings against Detroit, but Blackburn was able to avoid his first loss since late April.

After losing four of his first five starts, Blackburn has gone 3-0 over his last six appearances, and has lowered his earned run average from 5.14 to 3.57 during that time span.

If the 29-year-old is going to keep the Twins in the win column, he will have to overcome an opponent that has given him trouble throughout his career. In 10 appearances against the Royals, Blackburn is only 1-3 and that ledger comes along with a poor 5.57 ERA.

The Royals are currently sixth in the American League in runs scored, so clearly the trouble with Kansas City has been its inconsistent pitching staff, and one of the main culprits is Luke Hochevar.

The 27-year-old right-hander has not claimed a victory in his last five starts, and is coming off another lackluster performance. Against the Angels in his last start, Hochevar surrendered four runs on seven hits and three walks. However, he was able to avoid the loss thanks to the execution of the offense.

There is some hope for the young hurler this evening, because one of his three victories this year have come against Minnesota. Earlier in the campaign Hochevar held the Twins to just three runs on five hits and four walks in a little over six innings of production. It was the third win for him against Minnesota, but in nine appearances against the division rival, Hochevar has an unpleasant earned run average of 5.19.