• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Marlins, Twins set for doubleheader at Target Field

Apr 23, 2013 - 3:05 PM (Sports Network) - Lefty Ricky Nolasco will try to snap a four-start drought to begin the 2013 season on Tuesday when the Miami Marlins again visit Target Field for a now weather-impacted two-game interleague series with the Minnesota Twins.

Game one was scheduled for Monday night, but was postponed by rain. Scheduled starters Nolasco and Kevin Correia will meet in the opener of the doubleheader, while the second game will feature Miami's Jose Fernandez against Mike Pelfrey of Minnesota.

Nolasco, who won 12 games last season, is winless in four tries thus far in 2013 while allowing 10 runs on 23 hits in 23 1/3 innings.

He went seven innings and gave up four runs with six strikeouts in his most recent attempt, which ended in a 6-1 loss to Washington.

The Marlins, who've lost each of Nolasco's starts, have been outscored in those games, 18-5.

Nolasco has never faced the Twins, but he's 47-34 in his career on the road as opposed to 29-32 at home.

The outing will be his 200th as a major leaguer.

For the Twins, Correia makes his 294th big-league appearance while seeking his 62nd win overall and second of 2013.

The 32-year-old right-hander was 12-11 in each of the last two seasons with Pittsburgh before signing a two-year, $10 million deal with Minnesota in February.

He was winless in his initial two starts with his new team, but got on the board on April 15 after allowing two runs on eight hits in seven innings of an 8-2 defeat of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Correia is 3-4 in 15 career meetings with the Marlins.

Pelfrey, a former first-round pick of the New York Mets, is 2-1 in three starts with the Twins since signing a one-year deal worth $4 million on Dec. 20.

He's 1-8 in 17 career starts against the Marlins.

Miami rookie Jose Fernandez makes his fourth attempt at a first big-league win.

The 20-year-old debuted with consecutive no-decisions against the Mets and Philadelphia, then dropped an 11-1 decision at Cincinnati on April 18.

In 15 combined innings, he's allowed 11 hits and six runs with 17 strikeouts.

On Sunday, Todd Frazier's three-run double highlighted an eight-run seventh inning that propelled the Cincinnati Reds to a 10-6 win over the Marlins in the finale of a four-game set at Great American Ball Park.

The outburst broke up what had been a close game.

The first six Cincinnati batters reached base in the fateful frame, with Brandon Phillips' RBI single off Jon Rauch snapping a 2-2 tie. A second runner came home when right fielder Giancarlo Stanton bobbled the ball.

Rauch had replaced Alex Sanabia (2-2) after the Reds loaded the bases against the starting pitcher.

The Marlins put up a four-spot in the ninth against Manny Parra. Stanton knocked in his first run of the season with a single and a pinch-hitting Miguel Olivo launched a three-run homer.

In Chicago, Josh Willingham cleared the bases with a tie-breaking three-run double with two outs in the seventh inning to lead the Twins to a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.

"I was looking for something out over the plate and looking to be aggressive," said Willingham. "That was basically it, and I got something over the plate and hit it well."

Scott Diamond (1-1) went six strong innings to pick up the win, yielding just two runs -- one earned -- and four hits while striking out five.

"I'd put us up against anybody right now," said Diamond. "I think we're playing pretty confidently."

Justin Morneau and Aaron Hicks each supplied an RBI for Minnesota, which swept the rain-shortened two-game series with Chicago and has won four consecutive games overall.

The Twins have won two of three games in each of two series with the Marlins, initially in 2002 in Minnesota and then in 2007 in Miami.