(My Sportsbook) - The
Minnesota Twins continue their push towards the top of the AL Central this evening when they play the middle contest of their three- game series with the
Detroit Tigers at the Metrodome.
Minnesota returned home after its longest road trip since 1969 in winning fashion on Friday, as Justin Morneau hit a grand slam and Francisco Liriano ran his unbeaten streak to seven games, helping the Twins to an easy 10-2 triumph. Delmon Young and Brian Buscher both drove in a pair of runs for Minnesota, which halted a three-game slide.
Liriano (5-3) yielded just two runs on five hits while fanning nine and walking only one batter over seven-plus frames.
The Twins, who were playing at home for the first time since August 20 following a grueling 14-game road trip, are 1 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox for the lead in the AL Central. The White Sox beat the Angels 10-2 on Friday.
Marcus Thames clubbed two home runs for Detroit, which has dropped four of its last five. Armando Galarraga (12-5) took the loss, as he was tagged for six runs on three hits with four strikeouts and six walks in six innings of work.
The Twins will rely on 26-year-old right-hander Scott Baker, who is 8-4 with a 3.66 ERA. Baker was impressive in beating the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, as he allowed one run and six hits in six innings.
Baker has defeated the Tigers twice already this season and is 4-3 lifetime against them with a 3.69 ERA in 11 starts.
Detroit will counter with former Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander, who has lost his last two and six of his last eight starts. Verlander's miserable season continued on Monday against the New York Yankees, who battered him for eight runs (five earned) and seven hits in just 1 2/3 frames, dropping the 25- year-old righty to 10-15 on the season to go along with a 4.74 ERA.
Verlander has faced the Twins nine times and is 4-4 against them with a 3.63 ERA.
Minnesota has won 11 of its 16 matchups with the Tigers this season, including six of the seven games played at the Metrodome.
