St. Louis at Twins series preview
June 17, 2015 at 3:01AM
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM
LHP Tommy Milone (2-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. RHP Carlos Martinez (7-2, 2.93)
Thursday, 12:10 p.m. • MLBN, 96.3-FM
RHP Mike Pelfrey (5-3, 3.18) vs. LHP Jaime Garcia (2-3, 2.06)
TWINS UPDATE
This is the start of an eight-game homestand, five of them against NL Central contenders. The Cubs visit Target Field this weekend. … The Twins are 20-12 at home but have lost five of their past six games at Target Field. … Entering Tuesday, they have scored 265 runs and given up 264. … The Twins have struck out the fewest opponents in the majors but have walked the fewest, too. At the plate, they rank ninth in striking out and 13th in drawing walks. … 2B Brian Dozier entered Tuesday eighth in the AL in home runs (13), first in extra-base hits (37) and second in runs scored (51). … 1B Joe Mauer's next game will be his 1,362nd, passing Gary Gaetti for fifth place in franchise history.
CARDINALS UPDATE
It has been 15 years since the Cardinals visited Minneapolis, where they are 4-2 all-time in the regular season — and 0-4 in the postseason (1987 World Series). … They are 17-14 on the road but have lost three of their past five away from home. … Rookie LF Randal Grichuk has 28 hits, 16 for extra bases. … RF Jason Hayward bats .320 against lefthanded pitching, best on the Cardinals.
Phil Miller
about the writer
A former second-round pick of the Rangers, Alex Speas has pitched in four major league games.
