The Twins have a chance to leave Detroit with a series win on Wednesday, and if they do it, it would be their first road series victory since the July 4th weekend against the Yankees.
Minnesota is sending RHP Zebby Matthews to the mound for the matchup at Comerica Park. Matthews enters at 9-9 with a 4.69 ERA, and while his season numbers are uneven, he has been sharper lately. His last start, though, came with a setback against the White Sox last Friday, so he’ll be looking to get back on track here.
Detroit will counter with RHP Keider Montero, who is 9-8 with a 3.52 ERA this season. Montero has been a steady back-of-the-rotation option for the Tigers, and he’s already shown he can handle Minnesota after throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Twins in June. Even so, this is a spot the Twins believe they can attack.
First pitch is set for 12:10 p.m. CT, and the game will air on TwinsTV.
One matchup to watch is Colt Keith against Matthews. Keith has given Matthews fits in limited career work, going 4-for-7 with two walks, a homer and two doubles. That kind of production makes him a priority bat for Minnesota to quiet down on Wednesday.
The Twins are also hoping for more from Trevor Larnach, who has been stuck in a rough stretch at the plate. Over his last 95 at-bats, he’s 18-for-95 with 23 strikeouts and six walks.
Still, there’s some power buried in that slump - six of those 18 hits have gone for home runs. Larnach also has a career homer off Montero and another hit against him, so Minnesota would love to see him break through in a big way.
Brooks Lee is another name worth watching. He’s been swinging it well lately, and the Twins need that run to continue.
Lee has three hits in eight career at-bats against Montero, which gives Minnesota another encouraging piece as it tries to keep the offense moving. If that production holds, the Twins can at least make life interesting down the stretch even if a postseason berth slips away.
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