Who snags second game of Twins-A’s set?
Fans in Oakland and Minnesota have endured almost two months’ worth of agonizing baseball. Still, could the events of the last several days suggest brighter times ahead?
The Athletics and Twins battle tonight to see which squad will end May on a positive note, with a 10:05 p.m. ET first pitch on the West Coast. Oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI like the hosts to capture their fourth consecutive victory. Paul Molitor’s bunch, on the other hand, enters as a +105 underdog. The over/under total holds steady at 8.5 runs.
Bob Melvin’s group dropped seven of eight before its current three-game run. With Coco Crisp leading the charge, though, the A’s (23-29) seem back on the road to respectability in the American League West. The 36-year-old outfielder’s batting .310 with seven RBIs in the past seven contests. He and second baseman Jed Lowrie (two hits) powered Oakland to yesterday’s 3-2 triumph over Minnesota.
The Twins (15-35) continue to play opponents tough, however, following a weekend sweep of Seattle. Elite power prospect Miguel Sano is starting to find his groove, and the lineup figures to receive a further boost with the arrival of Byron Buxton from Class AAA Rochester. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft assumes the roster spot of Danny Santana, who went down with a hamstring strain.
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This evening’s matchup on the mound should raise numerous eyebrows. Tyler Duffey (2-3, 3.93 ERA) takes the ball for the visitors, while Eric Surkamp (0-3, 6.55) hopes to put Oakland on his back. Neither individual has gone deeper than seven innings in 2016, so expect Molitor and Melvin to engage in some significant bullpen wars. It may well boil down to the team that benefits from receiving the final round of hacks.
TUESDAY MLB FREE PICK: TWINS/ATHELTICS OVER 8.5 RUNS
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