The Minnesota Twins have been heating up with the temperature, winning 15 of their past 18 to push their record to an American League-best 40-18 on the season.
The Twins look to continue their good fortune and increase their sizable lead in the AL Central on Tuesday when they open a three-game series against the host Cleveland Indians.
Minnesota has collected at least 10 hits in 14 of its past 17 games and owns a majors-best 21-9 mark on the road this season. The Twins’ series opener begins a stretch of playing 16 games within the division in June.
“It don’t change who we are,” Minnesota center fielder Byron Buxton said following Sunday’s 9-7 victory over Tampa Bay. “We’ve just got to go out there and keep playing the ball that we’re playing, play aggressive and keep having fun.”
Cleveland hasn’t been having much fun with losses in 10 of its past 14 to fall into a second-place tie with the Chicago White Sox, 11 1/2 games behind the Twins.
The Indians were shut out for the fifth time in Sunday’s 2-0 setback to the White Sox, marking the 31st time in 59 games that the team has been held to three or fewer runs.
Francisco Lindor had three of the Indians’ six hits on Sunday.
While Lindor didn’t play in Cleveland’s season-opening series, the rest of the Indians combined to strike out 39 times as Minnesota won two of three in the set.
Lindor and company will test their mettle against Twins left-hander Devin Smeltzer (0-0, 0.00 ERA), who put forth an impressive performance in his major league debut last Tuesday.
The 23-year-old Smeltzer, who is a cancer survivor, scattered three hits and struck out seven without walking a batter in six scoreless innings of a no-decision against Milwaukee.
“I know that tomorrow, between the lines, may not happen. It’s been told to me before, and I don’t take a day for granted out there,” said Smeltzer, who was diagnosed with cancer at age 9 when doctors discovered a grapefruit-sized cancerous tumor against his bladder.
Cleveland right-hander Shane Bieber (4-2, 3.67 ERA) will aim to rebound from a difficult start when he takes the mound on Tuesday.
Bieber improved to 2-0 in his last three starts on Wednesday despite allowing six runs on eight hits — including three homers — in five innings of a 14-9 win at Boston.
“I didn’t really settle into a rhythm,” Bieber said of that outing. “It was one of those nights where I just wasn’t good enough, but that’s what good teams do. These guys picked me up and picked me up in a big way. Time after (time) and inning after inning. Hats off to them.”
Bieber owns a 1-0 mark with a 4.58 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Minnesota, with his last encounter against the Twins coming in a relief effort on March 31. The 24-year-old allowed one run on two hits in two innings of a no-decision in that contest.
Miguel Sano (3-for-6) and Max Kepler (3-for-8) have fared well in a small sample size versus Bieber.
–Field Level Media
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