Twins at Rays
Shortstop Eduardo Escobar continues to put up big numbers when his Minnesota Twins face the Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff. Escobar looks to follow up a two-home run performance as the visiting Twins go for a three-game sweep of the Rays on Thursday night and attempt to extend their season-best winning streak to seven contests.
Escobar is 18-for-44 in his career against the Rays – 8-for-19 with five RBIs in 2015 – after Minnesota notched a 5-3 victory Wednesday to move into the second wild-card spot in the American League. Left-hander Drew Smyly tries to cool off the Twins, who have scored 42 runs during their winning streak. The Rays, who trail Minnesota by three games, left the bases loaded three times Wednesday and are batting .236 with runners in scoring position (28th in the majors) this season. Tampa Bay’s James Loney is 5-for-9 in the series and 11-for-22 versus Minnesota in 2015.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Tommy Milone (6-3, 3.69 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (1-2, 3.42)
Milone has managed just one victory in his last six outings, but did notch a save with one scoreless inning on Sunday at Baltimore in a 4-3 win. The USC product has better numbers on the road (1-1, 3.30 ERA, .208 batting average) than at home (5-2, 4.08, .294). Asdrubal Cabrera (2-for-11, two strikeouts) has struggled against Milone, who is 2-2 with a 6.17 ERA in four career starts versus Tampa Bay.
Smyly picked up his first victory of the season last time out in his second start since returning from a long stint on the disabled list. The Arkansas native pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings at Oakland on Friday without issuing a walk after giving up five runs in four frames just five days earlier. Escobar is 2-for-4 with a homer versus Smyly, who is 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 career games (four starts) against the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay C J.P. Arencibia joined the team Wednesday from Triple-A Durham after C Curt Casali (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is batting .371 in his career versus the Rays and has reached base by a hit or walk in 13 consecutive games against them.
3. Tampa Bay OF Desmond Jennings (bruised left knee) is day-to-day after sitting out Wednesday’s contest.