Twins at Blue Jays
Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler has flustered the Toronto Blue Jays this season, going 6-for-16 with four extra-base hits and four RBIs with as many runs scored. Kepler looks to continue to torment the Blue Jays on Tuesday as the Twins vie for a series victory at Rogers Centre.
Kepler launched a two-run homer in Monday's 8-3 romp and Joe Mauer recorded his fourth three-hit performance over the last 2 1/2 weeks for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game skid after winning nine of its previous 11. The 35-year-old Mauer has collected nine RBIs and 10 runs scored during the hot stretch while raising his batting average from .254 to .285. Toronto's Lourdes Gurriel Jr. continued his torrid stretch -- sandwiched around a trip to the seven-day concussion disabled list -- with a solo homer to extend his hitting streak to six games. The 24-year-old Cuban is 13-for-25 during that stretch to raise his batting average from .226 to .288 for the Blue Jays, who saw their three-game winning streak halted.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), Sportsnet (Toronto), TVA Sports
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (9-7, 3.68 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Ryan Borucki (0-1, 3.52)
Although Berrios has six quality starts in his last eight trips to the mound, the 24-year-old All-Star allowed a season-worst six runs on six hits for the second time in four outings on July 14 in a no-decision versus Tampa Bay. Berrios has struggled on the road, posting a 2-5 mark with a 4.78 ERA while permitting the opposition to bat .251 against him as opposed to .186 at Target Field. Berrios has limited the current crop of Blue Jays to a .143 batting average, with Kendrys Morales going 1-for-9 versus him.
Borucki will be called up from Triple-A Buffalo to make his fifth major-league start. The 24-year-old recorded his third straight no-decision at Boston on July 13 despite getting gashed for seven runs on eight hits with four walks in three innings. Borucki previously permitted just five runs while issuing six free passes in his previous three outings (20 innings).
WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto 1B Justin Smoak collected two singles and a double in the series opener to increase his total to 18 hits over his last 13 games.
2. Minnesota 1B Logan Morrison, who went deep on Monday, has three homers in his last seven contests.
3. Morales has recorded back-to-back multi-hit performances on the heels of an 0-for-9 stretch.