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Twins hope to end slide, begin set against Jays

Jul 5, 2013 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins try to put the brakes on a five-game losing streak on Friday when they open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

That may be easier said than done, however, as the Twins have lost 15 of 19 to the Blue Jays and are a mere 1-7 in their last eight trips north of the border. They also haven't won a series there since 2005.

Minnesota capped its eight-game homestand by getting swept by the New York Yankees. The Twins were outscored by the Yanks, 29-14, and were defeated, 9-5, in Thursday's finale at Target Field.

"Offensively we really didn't do an awful lot," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We kept battling through it and got ourselves within striking distance, but they finished it off there at the end."

Kyle Gibson (1-1), making his second career start, was shelled for eight runs on 11 hits over 5 1/3 frames to absorb the loss.

Hoping for a better effort on Friday, the Twins will rely on right-handed veteran Kevin Correia, who is 6-5 with a 4.08 ERA. Correia did not get a decision on Sunday, but did not pitch well, as he surrendered five runs and seven hits in five innings of a 9-8 loss.

Correia is 1-1 four games (2 starts) versus the Jays with a 6.23 ERA.

Opposing him will be lefty Mark Buehrle, who is 4-5 with a 4.81 ERA. Like Correia, Buehrle did not factor in the decision of his team's loss on Sunday in Boston, as he yielded four runs and seven hits in six innings.

"I made some pitches and they found holes," Buehrle said. "That's why it's frustrating."

Buehrle, though, is no stranger to the Twins, having faced them on 51 occasions, including 49 starts. He is 27-19 lifetime against them with a 3.75 ERA.

Toronto also enters this series struggling after losing the final three games of their four-game set with the Detroit Tigers.

The Jays have now dropped eight of 11 and still reside in the cellar of the American League East.