Lariano Back For Twins
It’s been more than three months since Francisco Liriano made a major league start, and more than two years since he’s notched a win in the big leagues.
It seems he’s more than ready for his long-awaited return.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Minnesota -170 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 94% of bets for this game have been placed on Minnesota -170 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Liriano, the Minnesota Twins’ young phenom who has spent most of the season in the minors after recovering from Tommy John surgery, will try to extend his recent dominance of Triple-A hitters to the next level on Sunday when the Twins close their three-game set with the visiting Cleveland Indians.
Francisco Liriano (0-3, 11.32 ERA) burst onto the major league scene as a rookie in 2006, going 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA while earning a spot on the AL All-Star team. But just five starts after the Midsummer Classic, Liriano was placed on the disabled list with left elbow pain. He had surgery in November to replace a ligament, and missed the entire 2007 season.
Minnesota (61-49) was counting on Liriano to anchor its rotation in 2008, but he was battered in three April starts, giving up 13 runs in 10 1-3 innings while walking 13. He recorded only two outs, allowing six runs in an 11-2 loss to Oakland on April 24, and was sent to Triple-A Rochester.
Like he did before he joined the Twins in 2006, Liriano dominated minor league lineups, going 10-0 with a 2.67 ERA in his last 11 starts. But despite quality start after quality start, he wasn’t called up until Friday, when the Twins released veteran Livan Hernandez.
"Francisco has done pretty much everything that he needs to do down there," manager Ron Gardenhire told Minnesota’s official Web site. "Now it’s time to see what he’s going to do up here."
Liriano’s last major league win came on July 23, 2006 against the same opponent he’ll face Sunday. The Indians (48-61) got a taste of his electric repertoire that afternoon, when Liriano struck out 10 over five innings in a 3-1 win.
One of his three starts in 2008 came against Cleveland. He allowed three runs over five innings, walking five, in a 4-0 loss on April 18.
"It’s been a long time,” Liriano said. "I wasn’t ready when I was here so I had to go down and get myself ready."
Liriano will be on the mound trying to guide the Twins to their eighth consecutive series victory at the Metrodome. They haven’t lost a series at home since Baltimore took two of three from June 3-5.
The Indians beat Minnesota for the second time in their last eight tries on Saturday, getting seven strong innings from Paul Byrd and a two-run homer from David Dellucci in a 5-1 win. That prevented the Twins from leapfrogging the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central, a spot they haven’t occupied since May 13.
"We’re right where we want to be – chasing," first baseman Justin Morneau said. "The pressure is on them to keep winning and stay in first."
Cleveland has only scored 23 runs in eight games at the Metrodome, and the lack of production from All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore has been a big reason. Sizemore is hitting just .188 (6-for-32) at the Twins’ home this season.
The Indians will send Matt Ginter (1-2, 4.20) to the mound for just his fourth major league start since 2005. Ginter, in the rotation because Aaron Laffey was sent to Triple-A, gave up four runs in four innings on Tuesday in an 8-5 loss to Detroit.
"There’s always a learning curve," Ginter told the Indians’ official Web site. "If you don’t make (adjustments) fast enough, you’re not going to hang around."
Cleveland has lost 13 of 17 on the road.
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