Baltimore @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 8, 2012 ) Minnesota 1, Baltimore 3

The Baltimore Orioles are seeing their American League East title aspirations dissipate, but grabbing one of the two wild cards is certainly still in play. Baltimore attempts to shake a deep slump when it visits the Minnesota Twins in Monday’s opener of a four-game series. The Orioles have lost 10 of 14 to fall eight games behind the New York Yankees. However, Baltimore is tied with the Los Angeles Angels atop the wild-card standings.

Minnesota has lost five straight games and is one of three AL teams mired below .500. The Twins are 16 games below the break-even mark after being swept by the Oakland Athletics in their first three games after the All-Star break. Baltimore has scored two or fewer runs in 14 of its last 25 games and has gone 9-16 during the offensive funk. The Orioles swept a three-game series against the Twins in Baltimore to begin the season. Baltimore starter Chris Tillman was pushed back a day due to back spasms.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), Fox Sports North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Twins LH Scott Diamond (7-3, 2.62)

Tillman was brilliant in his first big-league start of the season against the Seattle Mariners on July 4. He took a one-hit shutout into the ninth and was charged with two unearned runs and two hits in 8 1/3 innings. Tillman is 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota.

Diamond is 2-0 with a no-decision over his last three starts. He allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings against the Kansas City Royals in his last outing but wasn’t involved in the decision. Diamond has walked just 12 batters all season and hasn’t allowed more than two in any start. He has never faced Baltimore.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore’s Jim Thome hasn’t homered in nine games since joining the squad but has hit 61 homers in 194 career games against Minnesota.

2. Twins DH/1B Justin Morneau enters the series with a 13-game hitting streak.

3. Orioles 2B Robert Andino injured his left shoulder and had to depart Sunday’s game and is slated to undergo an MRI exam Monday.