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Twins, Tribe close out four-game set

Sep 10, 2012 - 2:14 PM (Sports Network) - Righty Justin Masterson can get back to .500 on the season and beat Minnesota for the second time in five weeks tonight when the Cleveland Indians visit the Twins in the finale of a four-game series at Target Field.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Masterson is just 2-6 in 16 career meetings against the Twins, but was a 6-2 winner the last time he met them on Aug. 8 in Cleveland, allowing two runs on three hits in seven innings of a 6-2 victory.

The 27-year-old is 3-2 in five starts since that triumph, getting within a game of break-even on the season, a year after going 12-10 in 34 appearances with the Indians a year ago.

He defeated Detroit, 3-2, in his last start on Sept. 4 after giving up two runs on four hits in six innings.

In 14 road starts this season, Masterson is 5-7 with a 6.21 earned run average.

Minnesota opposes him with Dominican righty Samuel Deduno, who has faced the Indians twice this season.

The 29-year-old won a 12-5 decision against Cleveland on July 28 at home after allowing a run on two hits in seven innings, then got a no-decision against the Indians with four innings of four-run ball in a 7-5 Twins win on Aug. 7.

He's 2-3 in five starts since, including a 4-2 loss at Chicago on Sept. 3 after the White Sox connected for two runs on six hits in six innings.

In four home starts in 2012, Deduno is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 25 1/3 innings.

On Sunday, Justin Morneau's second home run of the game came with two outs in the ninth as the Twins took an 8-7 win.

With two outs and Vinnie Pestano (3-2) on the mound, Morneau drilled the first pitch he saw just inside the right-field pole for the win.

Morneau made a winner out of Brian Duensing (4-10), who got the final out of the eighth with runners on the corners then worked a scoreless ninth.

Morneau hit a two-run homer in the third inning, while Chris Parmelee added two RBI for the Twins, who have taken the past two after dropping the opener on Friday.

Carlos Santana went 3-for-5 with a solo homer, two RBI and two runs scored, while Michael Brantley and Brent Lillibridge each scored twice for the Indians, who have lost three of four.

Neither starter factored into the decision. Corey Kluber lasted just 3 2/3 innings and gave up five runs - four earned - on eight hits for Cleveland, while Esmerling Vasquez allowed four runs, three hits and five walks in just three innings for Minnesota.

The Twins won seven of the first 11 games between the teams in 2012, including two of three in a series in Cleveland from Aug. 6 to 8. The Indians won 11 of 18 games in the season series in 2011.