Twins at Astros
Dallas Keuchel hopes to avenge a pair of disappointing road starts on Monday when he returns to the safe haven of Minute Maid Park as the Houston Astros open a three-game series versus the Minnesota Twins. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner was blitzed for 11 runs in his last two road outings on the heels of scattering five hits over eight sterling innings of a 1-0 home victory over Detroit on April 15.
The triumph over the Tigers was just par for the course for Keuchel, who won all 15 of his home decisions and posted a 1.46 ERA in 18 starts at Minute Maid Park last season. AL West cellar-dwelling Houston is in dire need of a strong start as it narrowly avoided a three-game sweep versus Oakland on Sunday to record just its third win in 12 outings. Minnesota isn't singing a better tune in the basement in the AL Central, as it has dropped four in a row and seven of its last nine. The road has been a particularly scary place for the Twins, who enter their six-game road trip with a majors-worst 1-10 record away from home.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (0-1, 11.25 ERA) vs. Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (2-3, 4.41)
With fellow hurler Kyle Gibson placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, Berrios was summoned to make his major-league debut against Cleveland on Wednesday. The top pitching prospect struggled with both his emotions and the cold weather conditions en route to allowing five runs on six hits in four-plus innings of a 6-5 setback. The 21-year-old's fastball topped out at 97 mph, but he got into trouble quickly as the Indians' leadoff men reached base in four of the five innings he worked.
Life on the road has proven to be tough sledding for Keuchel, who yielded six runs on 13 hits in a 7-4 loss in Texas on April 21 before he allowed five runs in six innings of an 11-1 setback to Seattle five nights later. The 28-year-old Keuchel has won two of his three appearances versus Minnesota, with a 12-strikeout performance in the last encounter. Kurt Suzuki (1-for-9, .111) and Brian Dozier (2-for-8, .250) have been held in check in small sample sizes against Keuchel.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B veteran Joe Mauer collected six hits in the three-game sweep by Detroit this weekend and has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 contests.
2. Houston mustered just 13 hits in its last three games.
3. Twins RF Oswaldo Arcia has two homers, six hits and as many RBIs in his last seven contests.