Twins at Marlins
While Minnesota's homer-happy ways have sparked spirited conversation throughout the season, the team's stellar starting pitching during the first six contests of its seven-game road trip is worthy of discussion as well. The Twins aim to finish their trek with a flourish on Thursday afternoon as they bid for a three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins.
Minnesota's starting rotation has allowed just nine earned runs and recorded 42 strikeouts over 38 2/3 innings as the club has won five of six outings on the road trip to reside three games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the American League Central. Thursday starter Michael Pineda would have no qualms with yet another power display by the Twins, who erupted for at least three homers in a game for the 32nd time this season in a 7-4 victory over Miami. Brian Anderson belted his third homer in four games and increased his career-high total to 16 after launching his second grand slam of the season in the ninth inning of Wednesday's tilt. The 26-year-old has hit safely in seven of his last eight contests for the Marlins, who have mustered five runs in the last two games after winning five of their previous six.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS North (Minnesota), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Michael Pineda (7-5, 4.30 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jordan Yamamoto (4-2, 3.64)
Pineda improved to 3-1 in his last five starts on Friday after allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings of a 6-2 win at the Chicago White Sox. The 30-year-old Dominican has recorded a 2.87 ERA in his last eight appearances overall and sports a 5-2 mark in nine starts on the road this season. Curtis Granderson is 3-for-7 with three walks against Pineda, who will make his first career appearance against Miami.
Yamamoto has answered winning his first four decisions in a six-start stretch by surrendering 11 runs en route to losing his last two trips to the mound. The 23-year-old Hawaiian kept the ball in the park in each of his initial six starts before allowing three homers spread over a 9-0 setback to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 21 and a 9-2 loss versus Arizona six nights later. The outing against the Diamondbacks was heading in a positive direction after Yamamoto retired the first nine batters he faced before Nick Ahmed's grand slam highlighted a six-run outburst in the fourth inning.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota RF Max Kepler has belted six of his team-leading 29 homers in his last 10 games.
2. Miami acquired RHP Ryne Stanek and OF Jesus Sanchez from Tampa Bay in exchange for RHPs Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards prior to the deadline on Wednesday.
3. The Twins strengthened their relief corps by acquiring RHP Sam Dyson from San Francisco just prior to the trade deadline.