Minnesota @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2015 ) Minnesota 4, Baltimore 3

The Minnesota Twins still have a lot of work to do if they are to climb back into American League wild card position, but they are not going down without a fight. Minnesota, which is 12-21 since the All-Star break, tries to continue its mastery over fellow wild card hopeful Baltimore by winning its seventh straight game in the series when it visits the Orioles on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game set.

Minnesota's Kurt Suzuki is 9-for-21 with seven RBIs in his last five games, including the go-ahead two-run single in the three-run eighth inning of Friday's 4-3 victory. The Twins moved to within two games of the Los Angeles Angels for the final wild card spot while Baltimore remained one-half game behind Los Angeles.
Gerardo Parra, obtained by the Orioles from Milwaukee prior to the trade deadline, is batting .284 with five home runs, 10 RBIs and 17 runs scored in 19 games with the Orioles and 14-for-35 with four homers, nine RBIs and nine runs during his eight-game hitting streak after belting a three-run homer Friday. Baltimore's Chris Tillman hasn't lost since May 31 - going 7-0 in his last 12 starts - and opposes Kyle Gibson, who is winless in six turns (0-3) since the All-Star break.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), MASN, WJZ (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.99 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (9-7, 4.54)

Gibson received a no-decision after allowing six runs, four hits and three walks in five innings of an 8-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday and has permitted 30 runs in 33 innings since the Mid-Summer Classic. The 27-year-old Indiana native has recorded a pair of quality starts during his rough stretch, including Aug. 11 against Texas when he permitted two runs and struck out seven in six innings of Minnesota's 3-2 victory. Gibson is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts versus Baltimore after yielding two runs and striking out seven in six innings of an 8-3 victory over the Orioles on July 7.

Tillman allowed two runs, three hits and three walks in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Oakland on Monday. There have been some bumps during the unbeaten streak, though, as the 27-year-old Californian permitted five runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 frames of Baltimore's 6-5 loss in Seattle on Aug. 11. Tillman is 0-3 with a 5.06 ERA in five starts against the Twins with the last encounter a 3-2 victory on Aug. 30, 2014 when he yielded one run in five innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Minnesota rookie DH Miguel Sano is 7-for-15 with two home runs, six RBIs, six runs and seven walks in five games versus Baltimore after going 2-for-4 with two runs scored Friday, and walked to begin the eighth-inning uprising.

2. Baltimore is 51-2 when leading after seven innings this season after RHP Darren O’Day had his season-high 11-game scoreless streak snapped at 11 1/3 innings by allowing the runs in the eighth.

3. Twins RHP Kevin Jepsen on Friday extended his scoreless streak to nine games (8 1/3 innings) after posting his sixth save of the season and first since assuming the closer's role in place of the injured LHP Glen Perkins (neck), who could return Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Twins 2