New York @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2015 ) NY Yankees 1, Minnesota 10

The road has posed some problems for the New York Yankees this season, and the Minnesota Twins are trying to take advantage of that particular struggle. The Twins will try to clinch a win in the three-game series when they host the Yankees on Saturday.

New York pitching allowed an average of 2.7 runs in taking five of six at home out of the All-Star break, but Michael Pineda was roughed up on Friday in the opener of a 10-game trip as Minnesota cruised to a 10-1 win. The Twins are battling for a postseason spot of their own and made a nice statement by smashing four home runs to win their second straight against a division leader after beating the Angels 3-0 on Thursday. The two wins marked a nice turnaround for the Minnesota pitching staff, which was ripped for 29 runs in the previous four games. Tommy Milone will try to keep that run of pitching going when he faces off against fellow lefty CC Sabathia on Saturday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (4-8, 5.25 ERA) vs. Twins LH Tommy Milone (5-2, 3.38)

Sabathia bridged the All-Star break with a pair of strong starts, allowing a total of three runs in 11 1/3 innings against Oakland and Seattle. The burly veteran notched only one strikeout against the Athletics but had more success with seven punchouts against the Mariners on Sunday. Sabathia has not faced Minnesota since 2013 and is 17-9 with a 3.03 ERA in 34 career starts against the Twins.

Milone had a run of six straight quality starts come to an end on Sunday, when he was ripped for seven runs (five earned) on five hits – including three home runs – in 2 2/3 innings at Oakland. The 28-year-old had not surrendered a home run in any of his five previous outings. Milone is winless in two career starts against New York despite yielding a total of two runs in 13 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe has homered in back-to-back games and four of the last eight.

2. New York 1B Mark Teixeira recorded multiple hits in five of the last six games.

3. Minnesota LF Eddie Rosario went 3-for-4 with three doubles and three runs scored on Friday after going 2-for-19 in the previous five contests.

PREDICTION: Twins 6, Yankees 5