Twins at Rays
Eddie Rosario is enjoying quite the summer after sputtering through the first two months of the season. The 24-year-old looks to continue both a solid start to August and his good fortune versus Tampa Bay on Saturday as the Minnesota Twins vie a series victory over the host Rays.
Rosario belted a pinch-hit, two-run blast in Friday's 6-2 triumph over Tampa Bay to improve to 8-for-16 with two homers, six RBIs and five runs scored in the new month. His performance versus the Rays hasn't been too shabby either, as Rosario is 8-for-20 with two homers and four RBIs in seven career encounters and 2-for-5 versus Saturday starter Chris Archer. While cellar-dwelling Minnesota is heating up with wins in seven of its last nine games, Tampa Bay's Brad Miller is scorching hot with homers in three straight contests and five of his last seven. Evan Longoria, on the other hand, is mired in an ice-cold 2-for-26 stretch with 11 strikeouts.
TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (2-1, 8.57 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (5-15, 4.38)
Berrios made a strong statement in his first outing since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester, overcoming a troubling start out of the blocks to allow three runs on five hits in a career-best six innings in a 12-5 victory at Cleveland on Monday. The performance shaved more than a run-and-a-half off the 22-year-old Puerto Rican's bloated ERA from his previous four major-league starts. Berrios was also better about his control, as he did not permit a walk after yielding 10 in his three May outings.
Archer's hard-luck season continued as the 27-year-old dropped his second straight decision and eighth in 10 outings on Monday despite yielding three runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 3-0 setback versus Kansas City. Archer, who leads majors with 15 losses, has pitched better than his 1-8 mark at The Trop would indicate -- he owns a solid 3.03 ERA while limiting the opposition to just a .216 batting average. Archer has found success versus Minnesota, against which he is 4-1 with a 1.78 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in his career.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer, who had a two-run double among his two hits on Friday, has reached base safely in 20 straight games versus Tampa Bay.
2. Rays 2B Logan Forsythe has followed an 0-for-11 stretch to end July by going 7-for-15 with six runs scored in August.
3. Twins DH Miguel Sano is 7-for-18 with two homers in four career contests against Tampa Bay.