Astros at Twins
The Minnesota Twins are hovering barely above .500 but they have yet to lose a series this season and can keep that streak intact when they host the Houston Astros in the rubber match of a three-game set on Wednesday afternoon. Despite playing in frigid conditions again featuring temperatures in the 30s, the Twins leveled the series at a game apiece with a 4-1 victory Tuesday night.
Three-time batting champion Joe Mauer has hit safely in all eight games in which he's played, extending his streak by collecting two hits and driving in a pair of runs Tuesday. Mauer also drew a pair of walks batting second behind leadoff hitter Brian Dozier, who reached base in all five plate appearances, including four walks. Since erupting for 35 runs during a five-game winning streak, Houston has seen its offense dry up with only nine runs scored over the the past five games. The reigning World Series champion Astros will send hard-throwing Lance McCullers Jr. to the mound against Minnesota's Kyle Gibson, who hasn't lost in 10 starts dating to last season.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1, 3.48 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (1-0, 0.87)
McCullers turned in a strong performance in winning his season debut, striking out 10 and allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings at Texas, but took the loss with five innings of three-run ball against San Diego on Friday. The 24-year-old is 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts versus the Twins but hasn't face them since he was a rookie in 2015. Dozier, Mauer, Eduardo Escobar and Logan Morrison are a combined 1-for-24 against McCullers.
Gibson struggled with his control but otherwise was unhittable in his season debut, tossing six scoreless innings and not allowing a hit to earn the win at Baltimore. He was nicked for two first-inning runs and gave up seven hits over 4 1/3 innings against Seattle last time out but escaped with a no-decision. Although Gibson is 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA against the Astros, the one loss came last season when he gave up four runs in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros 2B Jose Altuve, who led the majors with a .346 batting average last season, has hit in 10 of his last 11 games.
2. Dozier is riding a nine-game hitting streak.
3. Houston placed LHP Tony Sipp (oblique) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled RHP James Hoyt from Triple-A Fresno.