Minnesota comes into this interleague series having lost five of its last seven games and getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers. It was just the second time the club had been swept in a series this season, with the only other time coming in a two-game series against Boston on May 19-20. The Twins are now just 7-8 on the season during interleague play (-180) and are watching the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers gain ground on them in the divisional race. “I didn’t like our energy today,” 1B Justin Morneau said. Minnesota has a losing 9-12 record in the month of June (-380).
Twins SP Kevin Slowey is 7-4 with a 4.58 ERA in 14 starts this season (+310), with the team alternating wins and losses over his last five outings. The right-hander has been awful over his last two starts, surrendering 12 earned runs and 16 hits over just 6.1 innings of work. He has produced a 3-1 record on the road despite carrying a 5.83 ERA in six outings (+220), as opponents are batting .349 against him (.263 Home). Slowey has dominated under the lights in 2010, going 6-1 with a 2.77 ERA in eight starts.
New York had won 12 of their past 13 games at Citi Field before falling by a score of 6-5 on Friday night to the Detroit Tigers. “It’s been a while since we came in this clubhouse and it was quiet,” OF Jason Bay said. The Mets will look to jump on the Twins, scoring first a Major League-high 47 games, producing a 34-13 record in those games. The starting rotation has been brilliant over the past 33 games, posting a 19-6 record and 3.07 ERA over that span. 3B David Wright has flourished offensively against the American League, leading the majors with 19 RBI during interleague action.
Mets SP Mike Pelfrey is 9-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) this season (+930). He has been far-less sharp in his last two outings, giving up eight runs and 16 hits in 13 innings of work against Baltimore and New York (AL). The right-hander is a dominating 5-0 with a 1.87 ERA in eight home starts (+610), surrendering just a single home run in 53 innings. Pelfrey has been even better under the lights, going 7-0 with a 1.43 ERA in nine starts. He has yet to allow a home run to an opposing right-handed hitter this year.
Bettors need to take notice that the visitor tonight is a perfect 3-0 following three or more consecutive losses this season (+300) and 24-11 in this situation the past three years (+1,540). It won’t be easy against a home team that’s a dominating 26-11 this season (+1,340).
