The Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays will play the second game of their three-game set at Target Field on Tuesday evening, and the Twins will hope that the man that has been their best pitcher for most of this year can continue his hot streak.
Scott Baker (6-5, 3.15 ERA) has not allowed a run at Target Field in his last 16.1 innings pitched there, and has surrendered just one run in 31.1 innings in his last four home starts, compiling a 3-0 record and striking out 32 opposing hitters in the process. His last start was on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he struck out nine in 7.1 innings, allowing just six hits in a 1-0 Minnesota victory. He has also had recent success against the Rays, going 1-0 with an ERA of 0.82 in his last three starts against Tampa Bay.
The Twins beat one Rays all-star pitcher on Monday when they knocked off David Price, and will hope to repeat the feat again on Tuesday when they face right-hander James Shields (8-5, 2.45 ERA). In Shields' last start, he had his personal four-game winning streak snapped, as he gave up four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work as the Rays fell to the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3. Shields leads the American League in complete games with six, and is second in the AL in strikeouts with 127, trailing only Detroit's Justin Verlander.
First pitch from Target Field is scheduled for 7:10 PM Central time. Our friends at Twinkie Town don't have their Game Thread set up at this time, but keep checking. . .it will be there soon enough. After the game comes to an end, we will have the recap right back here for you.