Twins at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics have a chance to record their fourth series sweep of the season and second in two weeks when they host the Minnesota Twins in the finale of their three-game set Wednesday afternoon. Oakland, which captured three straight against visiting Texas from May 16-18, posted a 7-4 triumph on Tuesday for its fourth straight victory and a 4-1 record on its six-game homestand.
Stephen Vogt and Danny Valencia combined to go 5-for-9 with five RBIs for the Athletics, with the latter recording his third multi-hit performance in four games. Minnesota is concluding its six-game road trip that began with a three-game sweep of the Mariners in Seattle. The Twins lost more than a game Tuesday as Miguel Sano left the contest in the third inning with a strained left hamstring and could be headed to the disabled list. The 23-year-old Dominican, who leads the team with 11 home runs, drove in a run before exiting and has collected eight RBIs in his last six contests.
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Pat Dean (1-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Sean Manaea (1-3, 7.03)
Dean is coming off his first big-league victory in his second career start, a triumph at Seattle on Friday in which he allowed two runs and four hits while striking out eight in seven innings. The 27-year-old native of Connecticut settled for a no-decision against Toronto in his first turn after giving up just two runs on three hits and three walks over six frames. Dean, who went 1-3 with one complete game and a 3.00 ERA in six starts with Triple-A Rochester, yielded four runs over eight innings in two relief appearances before joining the Twins' rotation.
Manaea took the loss against Detroit on Friday in his sixth start in the majors, allowing three runs and nine hits over six-plus innings. The 24-year-old from Indiana has worked at least six frames in each of his last three outings after failing to get past five in any of his first three turns. Manaea will be making his fourth straight start and sixth overall at home, where he is 1-2 with a 5.22 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins CF Byron Buxton went 1-for-4 on Tuesday after being recalled from Rochester to replace OF Danny Santana, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
2. Oakland RHP Sonny Gray, who is on the DL with a trapezius strain, threw 50 pitches over three innings in a simulated game Tuesday.
3. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer has hit safely in seven of his last eight contests, recording five multi-hit performances in that span.