Twins at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are starting to warm up with the bats and the victories are piling up as they go for a three-game sweep of the visiting Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon after scoring 18 times in the first two contests. Veteran Denard Span boasts six RBIs during the series and 17 in 17 games this season for the Rays while C.J. Cron belted a pair of two-run homers on Saturday in a 10-1 victory - their third straight and fourth in the last five outings.
“We’re not going to score 10 runs every game. Nobody does. … But we’ve got guys that can hit the ball out of the ballpark, we’ve got guys who can hit doubles and we should - in theory - have some guys that complement them and spray the ball all over the diamond,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters. Rookie Yonny Chirinos, who was officially named the team’s No. 4 starter Saturday, will get the ball Sunday, while fellow right-hander Phil Hughes makes his season debut for the Twins. Minnesota, which gave up eight runs in the seventh and eighth innings Saturday while going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position overall, has lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season. Brian Dozier has hit safely in all 15 games for the Twins, tying the franchise record for a hitting streak to start a season set by Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett (1994) and Josh Willingham (2012).
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Phil Hughes (2017: 4-3, 5.87 ERA) vs. Rays RH Yonny Chirinos (0-1, 2.70)
Hughes was placed on the disabled list to start the season with a strained left oblique and returns to the rotation after two strong rehab appearances, allowing three runs over 10 innings. The California native, who was limited to 20 starts and 26 outings the previous two years due to injuries, struck out nine and walked just one in the two starts for Single-A Fort Myers earlier this month. Carlos Gomez is 2-for-6 with a double against Hughes, who is 5-6 with a 4.83 ERA in 20 appearances (13 starts) versus the Rays.
Chirinos did not give up a run in his first three major-league appearances (two starts) this season before getting rocked in his fourth against Texas on Tuesday night. The 24-year-old Venezuelan yielded six runs on seven hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings versus the Rangers, but he has 15 strikeouts versus five free passes in 20 frames overall. Chirinos, who went 12-5 with a 2.74 ERA with Triple-A Durham last season, allowed just seven hits combined in his first two starts with the Rays.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins OF Eddie Rosario has hit safely in 14 of 16 career contests against the Rays (20-for-53) and is 8-for-26 during a current six-game hitting streak overall.
2. Tampa Bay SS Adeiny Hechavarria has not committed an error in 69 straight contests and is 9-for-18 during a current five-game hitting streak.
3. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is 0-for-8 in the series after hitting .364 with 12 walks in his first 12 games this season.