Tampa Bay @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( May 16, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 6

The Minnesota Twins rebounded nicely from a 1-6 start by winning 20 of their last 30 contests and will try to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. The Twins look to continue their dominance at home after Eduardo Escobar went 4-for-4 with an RBI in a 6-4 triumph Saturday for their ninth victory in the past 10 games at Target Field.

Veteran Torii Hunter is 11-for-27 with seven RBIs in his last seven contests and Brian Dozier has homered twice in the series and four times during an eight-game hitting streak for Minnesota. The Rays dropped to 8-7 on the road and will turn to Chris Archer, who is unbeaten in his career against the Twins, to salvage the finale of the set against Minnesota right-hander Kyle Gibson. David DeJesus is 3-for-6 with a homer in the series for the Rays while raising his team-best average to .314. Logan Forsythe leads Tampa Bay with 17 RBIs after recording two Saturday.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (3-4, 2.59 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (3-2, 2.70)

After struggling in his previous two outings, Archer came back to limit the New York Yankees to two runs on seven hits over seven innings without being involved in the decision last Tuesday. The North Carolina native, who has struck out 58 in 48 2/3 innings, started the season by holding four of five opponents to no earned runs. Trevor Plouffe and Hunter are each 3-for-7 versus Archer, who is 3-0 with a 0.49 ERA all-time against the Twins.

Gibson has allowed just seven earned runs over his last six starts – one in the past three -- after permitting six in his first outing of the season. The 27-year-old Indiana native struck out 11 and walked three in his last three outings after issuing 12 free passes in his first four starts of the campaign. James Loney is 4-for-7 against Gibson, who is 3-0 at home this season but was 0-2 with a 12.54 ERA in two games versus Tampa Bay last year.

WALK OFFS

1. Tampa Bay INF Tim Beckham boasts 15 RBIs, tied for second on the team, in only 79 at-bats after belting a two-run homer Saturday.

2. Minnesota 1B Joe Mauer is batting .372 in his career against the Rays (71-for-191) after notching three hits in seven at-bats in the series.

3. The Rays optioned RHP Andrew Bellatti to Triple-A Durham and recalled INF Nick Franklin after Saturday’s game.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Twins 1