(SportsNetwork.com) – History was made the last time the Detroit Tigers faced
the Minnesota Twins.
The Minnesota Twins look for revenge this time around at Target Field as the
teams begin a three-game series on Monday night. Detroit opened the 2015
season with a three-game home sweep of the Twins and outscored Minnesota by a
22-1 margin for the series.
Tigers pitchers threw 24 scoreless innings, setting an American League record
by a pitching staff to begin a season.
Unfortunately for the Twins, they will face the same order of pitchers as that
series, with David Price getting the call for Detroit in Monday’s opener.
The veteran left-hander came within one out of shutting out the Twins on
Opening Day, and he allowed only one earned run through his first three starts
of the season. However, Price got roughed up by the Yankees at home on
Wednesday, as he lasted just 2 1/3 innings and was charged with eight runs on
10 hits.
The Twins will turn to Tommy Milone, who is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA after three
turns through the rotation. The southpaw got a no-decision at Kansas City on
Tuesday as he allowed four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also walked
four batters and struck out only one.
Minnesota took two of three from the Mariners in Seattle over the weekend. The
Twins rallied to win Sunday’s finale in extra innings, 4-2, thanks to Joe
Mauer’s two-run triple to lead off the 11th. Starter Kyle Gibson threw seven
innings of two-run ball
“It’s huge. We always talk about winning series, and to win a series on the
road is definitely a good thing,” Mauer said. “With the way (Gibson) threw the
ball and the way our guys threw the ball (Sunday), it was good to get a win.”
Monday’s series opener kicks off an 11-game homestand for the Twins.
Detroit, which is beginning a 10-game road trip, snapped a four-game slide by
winning back-to-back games over Cleveland at home this weekend.
The Tigers were an 8-6 winner in Sunday’s finale as Kyle Lobstein gave up
three runs in a season-best seven innings of work. Miguel Cabrera drove in
three runs to spark the offense.
“When you’ve got speed in front of you and they get on base, you have to take
advantage, make something happen,” said Cabrera, who hit .417 with six RBI in
eight games at Target Field last season. “We did that a lot (Sunday) and it
worked for us.”
Manager Brad Ausmus said Rajai Davis will make his third straight start in
place of the struggling Anthony Gose in center field with a lefty scheduled to
start for the Twins.
