Orioles at Twins
The Minnesota Twins are rolling again as they attempt to get back on top in the American League Central before the All-Star break. The Twins will try to gain a game on the division-leading Cleveland Indians and clinch a series win when they host the slumping Baltimore Orioles in the third of a four-game series on Saturday.
Minnesota took the first two in the series and four of its last five overall to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Indians in the Central. The Twins pounded out 15 runs on Thursday and Friday against the Orioles and totaled 22 hits in the two contests as Max Kepler has scored three runs and collected three RBIs, while Byron Buxton stayed hot while improving to 8-for-16 with five runs scored in the last four games. Baltimore got a rare offensive explosion on Friday from star third baseman Manny Machado, who went 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs while raising his batting average to .224. Trying to hold Machado down on Saturday will be Adalberto Mejia, while fellow left-hander Wade Miley tries to pull out of a slump for the Orioles.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wade Miley (3-7, 5.20 ERA) vs. Twins LH Adalberto Mejia (4-3, 4.32)
Miley was carrying a 2.82 ERA after a seven-inning gem on June 1 but has struggled mightily over the last month. The Louisiana native lasted just 1 2/3 innings at Milwaukee on Monday while being ripped for seven runs on as many hits and two walks and is 1-4 with an 11.69 ERA over his last six outings. Miley faced Minnesota once last season and was lit up for five runs on six hits - three home runs - and four walks in four innings.
Mejia is on a roll with wins in three straight starts and has allowed a total of three runs in 17 2/3 innings in those three turns. The Dominican Republic native matched a career high with seven innings pitched against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, snapping a string of five straight starts in which he failed to complete six frames. Mejia is making his first appearance against Baltimore and is 2-2 with a 5.66 ERA in seven starts at home.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins signed 44-year-old RHP Bartolo Colon to a minor-league contract on Friday and assigned him to Triple-A Rochester.
2. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis (oblique) is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Monday and could return when the team comes back from the All-Star break.
3. Minnesota placed 1B Joe Mauer (back) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled 1B Kennys Vargas, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs on Friday.