Rockies at Twins
DJ LeMahieu hopes his torrid stretch at the plate travels well as the Colorado Rockies begin a season-high 10-game road trip on Tuesday with the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Minnesota Twins. The defending National League batting champion recorded back-to-back three-hit performances over the weekend and his third in the team's 10-game homestand, during which he went 15-for-41 to raise his average to a season-best .295.
The 28-year-old LeMahieu's 17th multi-hit performance of the season in Sunday's 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers helped Colorado salvage a split of a four-game series and finish the homestand with a 6-4 mark. The NL West-leading Rockies begin a stretch of 22 of their next 29 contests on the road in Minnesota, which opens a six-game homestand on the heels of winning four of five versus American League Central foes on a rain-shortened road trip. Kennys Vargas increased his RBI total seven in his last five games with a two-run double in Sunday's 8-3 setback to Cleveland. The 26-year-old has a team-best 13 RBIs since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on April 23.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (3-2, 2.93 ERA) vs. Twins RH Phil Hughes (4-1, 4.74)
Freeland owned a 2-0 mark and allowed three runs and 19 hits over a four-start stretch before last Tuesday when he sustained his first loss since his second outing of the season. The 24-year-old rookie permitted five runs (three earned) and four hits - all in a second inning that also featured two errors by his team - in an 8-1 setback to the Chicago Cubs last time out. Freeland, who also matched a season-high four walks over his six-inning performance, will pitch at an AL park for the first time in his career.
Hughes got out of the blocks with a flourish to begin both this season and his last start, although things unraveled quickly in Thursday's outing against the Chicago White Sox. The 30-year-old surrendered his first hit with one out in the fourth inning and yielded a three-run homer to Melky Cabrera in the fifth before receiving his second consecutive no-decision. Hughes, who permitted five runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings, allowed four earned runs for the fourth time in his last six starts - with six homers given up in that stretch.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota SS Jorge Polanco launched a solo homer on Sunday, marking the eighth time in his last nine games that he's recorded a hit.
2. Colorado Tony Wolters (concussion) completed a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque and is expected to be reinstated Tuesday, with fellow C Dustin Garneau to be optioned to the Isotopes.
3. Twins 1B Joe Mauer has scored three times during his five-game hitting streak.