Twins at Tigers
Even as they close in on setting the major league record for homers in a single season, the Minnesota Twins showed they are not totally reliant on the long ball. The Twins have won a season high-tying six consecutive games overall and eight straight away from home as they continue their 10-game road trip at the majors-worst Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.
C.J. Cron hit Minnesota's lone home run in Friday's 13-5 romp and has three blasts to go along with nine RBIs in a five-game hitting streak to pull the team within five of tying the record of 267 homers set by the New York Yankees last year. Nelson Cruz has five hits and five RBIs over the past two games, while Eddie Rosario has six RBIs during a four-game hitting streak for the Twins, who hold a 4 1/2-game lead atop the American League Central. While Minnesota improved to a majors-best 44-22 on the road, the Tigers have dropped six in a row and 11 of 13 to fall to 17-47 at home. Ronny Rodriguez and John Hicks each homered among two hits in the opener of the four-game series for Detroit, which is 4-9 against the Twins in the season series.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins LH Martin Perez (9-5, 4.53 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (6-10, 4.47)
Perez halted a seven-start winless drought Sunday against Detroit, limiting the Tigers to two runs and five hits over six innings to earn his first victory since July 5. The 28-year-old Venezuelan allowed a combined three runs (two earned) in his previous two starts - both no-decisions - but he struggled with his control with four walks in each. Jordy Mercer is 5-for-8 with four doubles off Perez, who lost to Detroit on May 12 after giving up three runs in five innings.
Boyd is 0-4 over his last nine starts after a rough effort at Minnesota on Sunday when he served up two homers and allowed seven runs on four hits and five walks to fall to 6-6 lifetime against the Twins. It was the third time in four starts that he permitted at least five runs, a span in which he has been taken deep nine times. Boyd gave up three runs over seven innings in a no-decision versus the Twins on June 7, but he has stymied Max Kepler (1-for-16) and Cruz (0-for-9).
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins SS Jorge Polanco is 8-for-15 with six runs scored during a four-game hitting streak.
2. Tigers DH Miguel Cabrera did not start the past three games (biceps tightness), but he was available to pinch-hit Friday.
3. Minnesota 2B Jonathan Schoop has five homers and nine RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.