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Indians hope to snap home skid in opener with Twins

Jun 6, 2011 - 2:33 PM (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Indians have hit their first rough patch of the season. Tonight, they will try to avoid a seventh straight home loss when they welcome the Minnesota Twins to Progressive Field for the start of a three-game series.

The Indians struggles could continue tonight, though, as they face a Twins team that has beaten them twice this season and seven straight times dating back to the start of last year.

Cleveland fell for the ninth time in its last 12 games overall on Sunday, as Texas completed a four-game sweep by blanking the Indians for the second straight day, 2-0.

Despite the recent stretch Cleveland is still tied for the best record in the American League at 33-24, but has seen its lead atop the American League Central dwindled to 2 1/2 games over the Detroit Tigers.

"We're losing games," said Shin Soo-Choo, whose recent struggles at the plate have dropped him to sixth in the lineup. "Everything is a little bit down. The pitching, hitting, the defense has slowed down a little bit. So it doesn't matter for me to change anything. Nine-hole. Eight-hole. It doesn't matter. I can't help the team. Making sure we're winning the games is more important."

Hoping to get the Tribe back on track tonight will be right-hander Josh Tomlin, who has won three of his last four starts. Tomlin defeated the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, despite a poor showing, as he allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings. Still and all, he improved to 7-2 to go along with a 3.27 ERA.

Since Cleveland scored 13 runs for Tomlin that day, it has crossed the plate a mere six times in the four ensuing contests.

Tomlin has never faced Minnesota, which enters this series playing its best baseball of the season. The Twins completed a four-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, as Brian Duensing tossed eight shutout innings in a 6-0 victory.

Duensing (3-5), who gave up six runs in only 4 2/3 innings against the Tigers in his last start, limited the Royals to six hits and a walk, while striking out four to pick up his first win since April 23.

"I've been scuffling myself for a long time," Duensing said. "I didn't warm up very good today in the bullpen. I was really nervous about the way things were going to go, but somehow I found it in between warming up and going out to the mound."

Jason Repko went 2-for-4 with three RBI to pace the Twins' offense.

Hoping to keep the momentum rolling tonight, Minnesota will hand the ball to righty Scott Baker, who is 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA. Baker absorbed the loss and saw his winless streak reach five starts in Detroit on Wednesday, as he surrendered runs and seven hits over six innings.

Baker has faced the Tribe 19 times and is 7-7 against them with a 3.75 ERA.