Rangers at Twins
The slugging Minnesota Twins managed only one home run Saturday, but it was enough to clinch a series win over the Texas Rangers. The Twins will go for a sweep of the three-game set and try to enter the All-Star break with some momentum when they host the Rangers in Sunday's finale.
Minnesota set a record for home runs before the All-Star break in Friday's 15-6 triumph, belting four to reach 165 on the season and surpass the 2018 New York Yankees, and Marwin Gonzalez's solo blast in the eighth inning Saturday helped provide some breathing room as the Twins secured a 7-4 victory. Minnesota, which holds a 6 1/2-game edge over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central, was 7-10 in 17 games before welcoming Texas to town and is trying to pile up as many wins as possible before a tough second-half schedule that includes 13 games against the Indians. The Rangers are losers of six of their last seven games and can point to the pitching as the main reason after watching the staff surrender an average of eight runs in those six setbacks. Texas will try to avoid the sweep by sending an opener to the mound in front of rookie left-hander Joe Palumbo while the Twins send right-hander Kyle Gibson to the mound.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Joe Palumbo (0-1, 16.50 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (8-4, 4.13)
Texas is skipping All-Star left-hander Mike Minor in order to provide some extra rest for the veteran and will likely send a reliever to the mound before turning to Palumbo, who is expected to be recalled before the contest. The 24-year-old Palumbo made two starts for the Rangers in June and was rocked for a total of 11 runs and 12 hits in six innings against Oakland and Cleveland. He is 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) split between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Nashville this season.
Minnesota is skipping an All-Star as well with right-hander Jake Odorizzi (blister) on the injured list and will get Gibson in for an abbreviated outing before turning it over to the bullpen. Gibson threw 102 pitches over six innings at Oakland on Wednesday - surrendering two earned runs without factoring in the decision - and will get a long rest during the All-Star break. The 31-year-old last faced Texas in 2017 and suffered a loss while allowing three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins placed 1B/DH C.J. Cron (right thumb) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
2. Texas All-Star OF Joey Gallo is 1-for-14 with 10 strikeouts over the last four games.
3. Minnesota DH Nelson Cruz (heel) was back in the lineup Saturday after being removed from Friday's game and went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.