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Twins look to build off Baker's performance

Sep 1, 2007 - 2:01 PM Kansas City (60-74) at Minnesota (68-67) 12:10 pm EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - The Minnesota Twins will hope to build off Scott Baker's one-hit bid when they host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday in the third game of a four-game series.

Baker carried a perfect game into the ninth inning before yielding a walk and a single as Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-0 victory over Kansas City in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. The 25-year-old righthander also registered a career-high nine strikeouts.

With the losing streak snapped, the Twins will attempt to get back into playoff contention, as they sit seven games behind the New York Yankees in the American League wild card.

Minnesota will start Carlos Silva (10-13, 4.33 ERA), who has won just once in his last five starts.

The righthander was tagged for six earned runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings in his last outing, an 8-3 loss at the Cleveland Indians on Monday.

The Royals, who posted a 9-4 victory in the first game of the doubleheader, will counter with Brandon Duckworth (2-3, 2.94), who will be making just his third start of the season and first since April 13.

The 31-year-old Duckworth, who has not won as a starter this season, will make his first appearance since June 13 after going on the 15-day disabled list with an injured oblique.