Weekend Series With Royals, Begins With Twin-Bill
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The Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals series will start today at 1:10pm, in Minneapolis at the Metrodome. The 1:10 start will kick off a double header, that will be followed by a ground breaking ceremony at the site of the Twins new ball park, from 4-7pm, then capped off with Game 2 of the double header at 7:10pm.
This will be the last time these two teams meet in Minnesota this season. The Twins and Royals will conclude their season series in Kansas City, September 10-12. Game 1 of the double header is a make up game from the August 1st, I-35 bridge collapse. Game one's starting pitching will present Matt Garza on the mound for the Twins, and Kyle Davies for the Royals. Game two of today's Twin-bill will feature Scott Baker for the Twins, as he challenges Gil Meche of the Royals.
This is a very important series for the Twins, and a must win. Minnesota is hanging on by a very thin thread to any playoff hopes, and must come away with a win in this series. Kansas City leads the season series 6-5. The Twins just come off a very disappointing series against the Indians, being swept away in three games. The Twins are 8.5 games behind the division leading Indians, who play a three game set with an ailing White Sox team, before flying to Minnesota to play the Twins in a three game series beginning on Labor Day.
Look below for all the pitching match ups for this weekends series with the Royals:
Royals: Davies ran into a buzz saw last Saturday night as the Cleveland Indians piled up seven runs in just two innings. He was peppered for six hits in the first and gave up two home runs in the second. Davies made 60 pitches, 44 of them in the first. This wasn't his shortest outing this year, though. Starting for the Braves on July 16, he couldn't get anybody out against the Reds and was sent down to the Minors. Two weeks later, he was traded to KC. This will be his sixth start for the Royals. His only win for them came against the Twins on Aug. 9.
Twins: It was yet another short start for Garza in his last outing, as he pitched just five innings against the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up just one run during that time but had to work his way out of many jams in the process. Garza has had trouble at home this season, going 0-3 with a 5.79 ERA in four starts. He gave up just one run over 6 2/3 innings but picked up the loss in his only start against the Royals this season.
Gil Meche vs. Scott Baker
Royals: Meche is back for an encore at Minnesota. On July 30, he pitched well against the Twins (two runs in seven innings) but got little support and lost, 3-1, at the Metrodome. Meche hasn't won a game since July 20 at Detroit. Since then, he's gone seven starts with five losses and two no-decisions. On Sunday against the Indians, he was in position to win with a 3-2 lead but, the Royals lost in extra innings. Meche wasn't at his best, using 112 pitches to get through six innings.
Twins: Baker wasn't exactly his best in his last start, but it was for good reason. An extensive travel schedule over two days to witness the birth of his second son had Baker a bit off against the Orioles. Despite the circumstances, he held the club to two earned runs over six innings. Baker is 1-2 with a 3.33 ERA in four career starts against the Royals.
Brandon Duckworth vs. Carlos Silva
Royals: This is the first appearance for Duckworth since June 13, when he left the game against St. Louis after throwing two pitches. He's been out since with a rib-cage injury. This also is just the third start this season for Duckworth, who began the season in rotation and had a 1.59 ERA in two starts. However, he was sent to the bullpen as a middle man and did quite well until his injury. Duckworth pitched seven scoreless innings in his last rehab outing for Triple-A Omaha.
Twins: Silva's numbers in the month of August had been very impressive -- that is until his last start against the Indians. The right-hander was unable to make pitches when it counted, giving up six earned runs on seven hits over just 3 2/3 innings. It was his shortest start since July 7, 2006, at Texas, where he pitched only 1 2/3 innings. Next up for Silva will be a start against the Royals, a club he holds a career 4-2 record with a 3.94 ERA against in 10 career starts.
Brian Bannister vs. Boof Bonser
Royals: Bannister has 11 victories and is pushing his way into AL Rookie of the Year consideration. Even though he gave up 11 hits to the Tigers in his last start, Bannister held them to two runs over six innings. Bannister couldn't keep the Tigers off the bases so he had to go for strikeouts to keep them from moving the runners along. In the sixth, he fanned three batters and the Tigers stranded two runners. He likes to be a contact pitcher but can reach back for strikeouts when necessary.
Twins: Bonser delivered a satisfactory outing his last time out. He allowed four runs, three earned, over his seven innings but gave up key home runs as well as gave back a lead once his team had knotted up the game. The Twins will need Bonser to make a few more key pitches when he faces the Royals in his next start. He is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the club this season.
GO TWINS!!!!
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