American League Preview from The Sports Network
Sunday, August 12th
(All times eastern)
Tampa Bay Rays (61-52) at Minnesota Twins (49-64), 2:10 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Tampa Bay - James Shields (10-7, 4.08)
Minnesota - Scott Diamond (10-5, 2.91)
(Sports Network) - A pair of 10-game winners will square off Sunday afternoon
when the Minnesota Twins try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay
Rays.
James Shields will take the hill for the Rays, who sits at 10-7 with a 4.08
ERA.
Shields had a terrible stretch from June 23 through July 26 where he allowed
four earned runs or more six times and won just one of his seven starts, but
in the two starts since then he's been spectacular.
The veteran right-hander tossed a three-hit shutout against the Athletics on
July 31, where he matched a season-high with 11 strikeouts. He followed that
up with another gem in a win over the Blue Jays on Aug. 7, allowing just two
hits and one earned run over eight innings while striking out six.
"(I've) stayed aggressive," Shields said following his last start. "I think
I've turned the corner. Hopefully I get on a little roll here."
Shields has beaten the Twins once already this season, pitching eight innings
of one-run ball on April 21.
Minnesota will counter with Scott Diamond, who has been the team's most
productive starter this season with a 10-5 record and a 2.91 ERA.
Diamond added to an already stellar rookie campaign in his last outing,
allowing just two earned runs in seven innings of work in a 14-3 win over the
Indians on Aug. 6. The win made Diamond the Twins' first 10-game winner since
2010.
The left-hander has been especially great at home, going 6-2 with a 2.44 ERA
in nine starts at Target Field this season.
On Saturday night, the Rays took control of the series by claiming a 4-2
victory.
For the second straight night, the majority of Tampa Bay's damage came very
early in the game, as both B.J. Upton and Matt Joyce homered in the first
inning to get the Rays out to a 3-0 lead. Upton added another long ball later
in the game, his 12th of the year.
David Price (15-4) continued his dominating campaign, allowing seven hits and
two earned runs over seven innings of work, striking out five and walked none.
The left-hander has now won seven straight decisions.
"We want to get into October, first and foremost, but we want to hang another
banner," Price said. "We're playing our best baseball right now that we have
all season. We've put ourselves in position."
Fernando Rodney pitched a perfect ninth innings for his major-league leading
35th save.
Nick Blackburn (4-8) was knocked around for 11 hits and four earned runs over
six innings. He hasn't won since June 22.
Darin Mastroianni and Brian Dozier knocked in the only runs for the Twins,
with Dozier's coming on his sixth homer of the season.
The Rays have now won five in a row and 10 of their last 13.
08/12 10:35:21 ET

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