Twins at Angels
The Minnesota Twins have enjoyed roughly the same amount of success at home as they have on the road this season, but they figure to be a bit sad about returning to Target Field given how well they've played during their 10-game journey. The Twins set their sights on reaching the breakeven mark Sunday when they try to secure a series win over the host Los Angeles Angels in the finale of their four-game set.
Minnesota (17-18) was 10-17 and five games out of first place in the American League Central after losing the first game of its road trip to the Chicago White Sox on May 3, but the team has since caught fire. The Twins improved to 7-2 during their current trek and 10-11 on the road overall (7-7 at home) following Saturday's 5-3, 12-inning victory, as rookie catcher Mitch Garver delivered a go-ahead RBI double one night after his run-scoring single tied the game in the ninth en route to a 5-4 triumph. While Minnesota is one-half game off the pace in its division, the Angels' inability to solve the Twins (5-11 in their last 16 meetings over the last three years) has caused them to lose their share of first place in the AL West. Justin Upton has held up his end of the bargain for Los Angeles, however, with two homers and five RBIs in this series; he is 11-for-31 with five home runs and 11 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Fernando Romero (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Angels RH Shohei Ohtani (3-1, 4.10)
Romero remained unscored upon in 11 2/3 frames with a dominant effort in Monday's win at St. Louis, permitting three hits and walking three while striking out nine over six innings. The 23-year-old Dominican was equally effective in his big-league debut five days earlier against Toronto, yielding four hits and three walks. Romero, who earned his promotion after going 23-17 with a 2.83 ERA in 73 minor-league appearances (57 starts), is allowing left-handed hitters to bat .059 against him.
Ohtani returned to the mound for the first time in 12 days last Sunday at Seattle after nursing a left ankle sprain and earned his first win since April 8, giving up two runs while fanning six in six-plus frames. The highly touted Japanese import encountered his first real adversity in the majors in the two starts prior, going 0-1 with an 8.59 ERA. Ohtani has struck out 22 right-handers in 56 at-bats and is holding them to a .196 average as he faces the Twins for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Upton failed to homer for the first time in five games Saturday, falling one game short of tying Bobby Bonds' club record from Aug. 2-7, 1977.
2. Minnesota has scored at least four runs in 12 straight contests after reaching that mark only 13 times in their first 23 games.
3. Los Angeles OF Mike Trout drew four walks Saturday and leads the AL with 34.