Cleveland @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 18, 2011 ) Cleveland 6, Minnesota 3

THE STORY: The Minnesota Twins squandered a big opportunity Monday. Playing a doubleheader at home with the chance to pull within three games of the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central, the Twins instead dropped both games to fall seven behind. The Indians got strong starts from a pair of unlikely sources in David Huff and Fausto Carmona, who managed to hold everybody in the Minnesota lineup aside from Joe Mauer in check. The Twins will need to win the final two games of the series just to get back to where they were after Sunday. That starts on Tuesday night, when Minnesota sends ace Francisco Liriano to the mound against Cleveland at Target Field.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, STO, FSNO

PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Francisco Liriano (6-7, 4.76 ERA) vs. Indians RH Justin Masterson (8-6, 2.80 ERA).

Liriano has allowed two earned runs or less in six of his last nine starts, including a win over the Kansas City Royals last Thursday in which he went seven innings to grab the win. The Dominican lefthander has had some trouble with his command this season - at least two walks in each of his last five starts - but has managed to limit the damage of late. Liriano took a loss at Cleveland despite yielding just three hits and an unearned run on June 7.

Masterson had a string of six straight starts allowing two earned runs or less snapped at Baltimore last Thursday but still managed to grab the win. The San Diego State product is in the process of establishing himself at the top of Cleveland’s rotation but has never beaten Minnesota, owning an 0-4 record with a 4.37 ERA against the division rivals in nine games - six starts. He went eight innings against the Twins on June 8, allowing two runs in a no decision.

ABOUT THE TWINS (44-51): Minnesota put itself way behind with a horrendous first two months and has been playing catch-up ever since. This is supposed to be the week that all of their hard work finally gets them close to the top, with eight games in seven days against the Indians and the Detroit Tigers. The Twins got off to a bad start, however, dropping both ends of a day-night doubleheader while managing a total of two runs against Huff and Carmona - two pitchers with a combined ERA of 5.25 in the majors since 2009. Mauer was the exception, going 6-for-8 in the doubleheader to raise his average to .290. The former MVP is batting .459 (17-for-37) over his last 10 games.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (51-44): Every time it looks like Cleveland is ready to collapse, it bounces right back. Two losses to the lowly Baltimore Orioles over the weekend had the Indians teetering on the edge. But on a day in Minnesota where temperatures on the field went up over 100 degrees, Cleveland kept its cool. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the first game to spark a 5-2 victory and Lou Marson snapped a tie in the nightcap with his first homer of the season. Following the Minnesota series, the Indians have a chance to finish up July strong with nine straight games at home.

FINAL PITCH: Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau is set to begin baseball activities this week, three weeks removed from having surgery to relieve a pinched nerve in his neck. The former AL MVP will not start swinging a bat yet but will begin fielding practice and running. No date has been set for his return.