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Garza, Twins aim for sweep of Rangers

Sep 19, 2007 - 1:57 PM Texas (70-81) at Minnesota (74-77) 8:10 pm EDT

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) - Last year at this time the Minnesota Twins were putting the finishing touches on a remarkable comeback. Now they are just fighting to avoid a losing season.

Torii Hunter and the Twins aim for a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Hunter, who is a free agent after the season, set a new career high in RBI with 104 after driving in a pair in Tuesday's 4-2 win. Hunter is hitting .320 (16-for-50) with a home run and eight RBI in his last 12 games.

Minnesota, which rallied from 10 1/2 games back in August to win the AL Central last season, has lost 10 of 16 games this month.

Matt Garza (3-6, 3.93 ERA) takes the mound as the Twins look to move closer to .500. Garza is winless in his last three starts, and has allowed 21 runs - 17 earned - and 22 hits in his last 15 innings.

Garza, who is 0-5 with a 6.07 ERA in six starts here, will try and avoid becoming the first Twins' starter to go winless at home with at least five losses since the franchise moved to Minnesota in 1961.

Vicente Padilla (6-9, 5.77), who is pitching while appealing a seven-game suspension, gets the ball for Texas. Padilla was suspended Tuesday for throwing at Oakland outfielder Nick Swisher in the first inning of Sunday's 11-9 win. The righthander is 3-1 with a 3.63 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break.