Home Cooking
The Minnesota Twins have one of the best home records in the majors, and since Francisco Liriano was recalled from the minors earlier this month, he’s done his part to help.
Liriano takes the mound Wednesday when the Twins close a nine-game homestand with the finale of their three-game series against the Oakland Athletics.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Minnesota -245 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 7.5 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 82% of bets for this game have been placed on Minnesota -245 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Minnesota (71-54) improved to 45-23 at the Metrodome after beating Oakland (57-68) 13-2 on Tuesday. Brian Buscher homered, had three hits and tied a career high with five RBIs, and Carlos Gomez also homered for the Twins, who remained one game behind the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead.
"These are the games we need to win, playing a team that’s struggling a little bit this year," Twins outfielder Denard Span said. "These are games we’re supposed to win."
The 13 runs by the Twins were their most since scoring 14 in a win over Texas on July 19. They played short-handed because Adam Everett and Delmon Young were held out of the lineup. Everett, who was struck on the right hand by a foul ball hit by Nick Punto on Monday, is expected to miss the next two games while Young, who injured his ankle Monday, is considered day-to-day.
On Thursday, the Twins will be starting a tough 14-game road trip, which lasts through the first week in September due to the Republican National Convention being held in the Twin Cities. First though, they look to finish this homestand strong. They are 6-2 in the first eight games, and will send the resurgent Francisco Liriano (3-3, 4.97 ERA) to the mound.
Liriano is making his seventh start of the season and fourth since being recalled from the minors on Aug. 1. He is 3-0 with a 1.45 ERA since returning to the Twins, and he has not allowed an earned run in either home start. On Friday, Liriano yielded two unearned runs and two hits over seven innings of a 9-3 win over Seattle.
"Each outing is getting better, he’s getting deeper in games now," Jason Kubel told the Twins’ official Web site. "He’s doing nothing wrong right now. As long as he keeps it up, he’s really going to help us out down the stretch.
The left-hander is 0-2 with a 12.96 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance against the Athletics. On April 24 in Oakland, he allowed six runs and five hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Liriano faces a struggling A’s team that has dropped 17 of its last 21. Oakland had six hits Tuesday, with Kurt Suzuki and Jack Hannahan each driving in a run.
Dallas Braden (3-2, 4.50) looks to help Oakland bounce back and win its first series at the Metrodome since 2005 when he takes the mound in Wednesday’s finale.
Braden is 1-2 with a 4.88 ERA in his last four starts. He pitched seven innings on Friday against the White Sox, allowing three runs and seven hits in a 6-4 win. The left-hander did not factor in the decision.
Braden has never faced the Twins.
Twins second baseman Alexi Casilla is expected to rejoin the team Wednesday. Casilla – on the 15-day disabled list since July 29 with a torn ligament in his right thumb – is hitting .313 with 39 RBIs in 62 games.
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