The American League Central race officially came to an end last night, and the season can't end a moment too soon for the Minnesota Twins. The Twins fell to the Cleveland Indians on Friday night by a final score of 7-6, marking their sixth consecutive loss and their eleventh loss in their last twelve games.
The loss for the Twins was number ninety on the season, and the team has to find four wins in their final thirteen games to avoid the second 100-loss season since the team moved to Minnesota from Washington, D.C. in 1961. With the team having won just twice in the month of September, one has to wonder where, exactly, those wins could potentially come from.
The Twins will try again on Saturday as they host the Indians in the second of their three-game weekend set, and they will send right-hander Anthony Swarzak (3-6, 3.89 ERA) to the mound. Swarzak has faced the Indians once this season, back on July 18. He allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in six innings of work as the Twins fell to the Indians at Target Field by a score of 5-2. Swarzak has not been credited with a victory since a 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on August 3.
The Indians will counter with right-hander Jeanmar Gomez (3-2, 3.95 ERA). Gomez has not started against the Twins this year, but did pitch three innings of relief against the Twins on April 24. He allowed one run on three hits in those three innings of work in a game the Twins wound up winning, 4-3. Gomez has won his last three starts, allowing just four runs (three earned) on 18 hits in 17.1 innings of work over those three games.
First pitch from Target Field is scheduled for 12:10 PM Central time. The good folks at Twinkie Town will have their Game Thread up and running in time for the start of the game, and we'll have the recap right here for you when the game is over.