(My Sportsbook) - The Minnesota Twins hope to increase their lead in the AL Central standings this evening, as they continue their season-long 14-game road trip with the third of four contests against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from Angel Stadium.

Minnesota, in the midst of its longest trek since 1969, continued to roll on Friday, as Glen Perkins and Dennys Reyes combined on a six-hit shutout to lift the Twins to a 9-0 win.

Perkins (11-3) allowed just five hits while walking two and fanning three in eight brilliant innings for the Twins, who won their fourth straight contest and took the AL Central lead by one-half game over Chicago. The White Sox fell to Tampa Bay on Friday.

Denard Span had a three-run homer for Minnesota and Delmon Young added a two- run shot in the triumph.

Juan Rivera finished 2-for-2 for the Angels, who have dropped five of six but still lead the AL West by a comfortable 15-game margin.

Anaheim starter Joe Saunders (14-6) allowed six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings en route to the loss.

Hoping to keep the Twins atop the Central tonight will be 26-year-old right- hander Nick Blackburn, who is 9-7 with a 3.71 ERA. Blackburn was defeated by Oakland on Monday, as he allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings of a 3-2 loss.

Blackburn lost his only start to the Halos, back on April 2.

Los Angeles will counter with righty Jon Garland, who is 11-8 with a 4.33 ERA. Garland lost for the second time in three starts on Monday against Tampa Bay, as he surrendered five runs (4 earned) and 10 hits in six innings.

Garland defeated the Twins on April 1 and is 8-8 lifetime against them with a 4.40 ERA in 27 games, 24 of which have been starts.

Los Angeles won three of four over the Twins in Minnesota from March 31-April 3 and is 9-5 versus the Twins at home since the start of the 2005 season.