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Lee goes for 23rd win against Twins

Sep 17, 2008 - 10:10 AM Minnesota (82-69) at Cleveland (74-77) 7:05 p.m. EDT

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Cliff Lee has been breaking opposing lineups all throughout his Cy Young-worthy campaign. He has the chance to potentially snap the last fragment of hope the Minnesota Twins have to make the American League playoffs.

Lee takes the mound for the Cleveland Indians looking to notch his 23rd win of the season while the Twins try to avoid a devastating sweep on Wednesday.

Lee will try to become the first 23-game winner since Barry Zito with the Oakland Athletics and Curt Schilling with Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002.

Minnesota dropped 2 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox (84-66) and seven steps back of the Boston Red Sox (89-62) in the wild-card hunt thanks to Victor Martinez's walk-off, three-run homer in the 11th inning of Tuesday's 12-9 marathon.

"I guess you can call it heartbreaking," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "Our guys kept battling. It's a tough one to swallow."

Lee (22-2, 2.36 ERA) has shined all season for the Indians. He has won eight straight starts and 11 consecutive decisions since taking his loss on July 6, which was against the Twins. That marks the longest streak by a Cleveland pitcher since Gaylord Perry won 15 straight decisions in 1974.

In that game, the 30-year-old righthander surrendered four runs and six hits over seven innings, but was the tough-luck loser of a 4-3 decision.

Lee, the first pitcher to reach 22 wins since Dontrelle Willis in 2005 with the Florida Marlins, has pitched at least five innings in every start this year and has yet to yield more than six runs in a game. In 2007, he went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA in 20 games and 16 starts.

Minnesota will counter with Scott Baker (9-4, 3.57), who will be on three days' rest. The 26-year-old righthander has been one of staples in a stellar rotation consisting of all five hurlers under the age of 27.

Baker is 3-1 over his last 10 starts, but has held opponents to three runs or less seven times in that span.