After having their modest three-game winning streak snapped on Friday night, the Minnesota Twins will attempt to start a new run at Chase Field as they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
Brian Duensing fell apart after six solid innings, and a late comeback attempt by Minnesota fell short as the Twins fell to the Diamondbacks 8-7 on Friday night. It was Arizona's fourth win in a row, and they will attempt to win their fifth in a row tonight, a feat that they have not accomplished since August 27-31 of 2009.
The Diamondbacks have called up Micah Owings from their AAA affiliate in Reno to start for them in the game today. Owings pitched for the Diamondbacks in 2007 and 2008 before being shipped to the Cincinnati Reds, and signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks this off-season. Owings was 3-1 with a 4.85 ERA for Reno this year, and has one career start against the Twins. He allowed six runs in 6.1 innings in a 6-1 Diamondbacks loss to the Twins on June 21, 2008.
The Twins will send Scott Baker (2-3, 3.99 ERA) to the mound on Saturday night. Baker has lost his last two starts, and in his last start allowed four runs and seven hits in eight innings in Minnesota's 5-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Baker has one career start against the Diamondbacks. On June 20, 2008, he allowed only one run and struck out seven in six innings of work in a 7-2 Minnesota victory.
First pitch for this one is scheduled for 9:10 PM Central at Chase Field. Be sure to make yourself at home in the Game Thread over at Twinkie Town while the game is going on, and we'll have the recap here for you when the game is over.