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Twins' Baker toes rubber vs. Rays

Jul 5, 2011 - 2:56 PM (Sports Network) - Scott Baker tries to pitch the Minnesota Twins to a series win this evening when they play the middle test of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field.

Baker has been tremendous of late, especially at home, where he has allowed just one run in his last four outings. He won for the fourth time five overall starts on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he scattered six hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to improve to 6-5, while lowering his earned run average to 3.15.

Baker, who is 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA in six home starts, is 2-2 lifetime against the Rays with a 2.88 ERA in seven games, six of which have been starts.

The Rays, meanwhile, will counter with All-Star right-hander James Shields, who is 8-5 with a 2.45 ERA. Shields had a three-start winning streak stopped his last time out, as Cincinnati reached him for four runs and seven hits in seven innings. Shields, though, struck out 10 in the loss.

Shields has faced the Twins eight times and is 3-1 with a 4.89 ERA against them.

Minnesota picked up a rare victory over the Rays on Monday, as Brian Duensing went the distance, throwing a six-hit shutout in the Twins' 7-0 win. Danny Valencia went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, Tsuyoshi Nishioka doubled in a pair of runs and Michael Cuddyer added a solo homer for Minnesota, which has won five of its last six games.

Duensing (6-7) struck out seven and walked four in his second career shutout.

Casey Kotchman and Sean Rodriguez both went 2-for-4 for the Rays, who have lost four of seven.

David Price (8-7) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs on five hits over six frames.

"We've had a lot of things start to go our way which is great," Valencia said. "It's a sign of good things to come. We've always had confidence in ourselves, so I think now that were starting to click we're a little more successful."

Despite Monday's loss, the Rays have won six of their eight matchups with the Twins this season, including three in Minnesota, where they have won five in a row and six of their last seven.