Twins/Rays FoxSheet Game Preview

• TAMPA BAY is 6-1 (+4.3 Units) when hosting MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons. 6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL
• Play Against Road teams (MINNESOTA) - with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.20 or better on the season (AL) against opponent with a starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.100 or better on the season-AL. (243-135 since 1997.) (64.3%, +84.2 units. Rating = 3*) Favors: Tampa Bay
• TAMPA BAY is 52-30 (+29.4 Units) against the money line vs. a starting pitcher with good control (less than 1.75 BB's/start) over the last 2 seasons.
• MINNESOTA is 18-9 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.

Despite suffering their worst loss of the season in Thursday night's opening game of a four-game series with Tampa Bay, the Minnesota Twins still have the best record in the American League. A major reason for that has been the team's ability to bounce back from a loss.

The Twins are an impressive 14-3 following a defeat so far this season. On Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla., they'll try to quickly put behind an ugly 14-3 loss to the Rays that saw Tampa Bay tally a season high in runs while piling up 16 hits, including at least one by each starter in the lineup.

It was not quite the way Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli, a longtime player and coach with the Rays, who made him the sixth overall pick of the 2000 MLB Draft, envisioned his return to Tropicana Field with his new club.

"Our guys certainly don't seem to bring things back to the ballpark from the day before," Baldelli said. "The good general confidence shows up every day. But whether the previous game goes well or doesn't, our group comes in the same way. They come in ready to play the following day. That's what we've come to expect from ourselves, and I think that's what we'll see tomorrow."

Jose Berrios (7-2, 3.20 ERA) will start for the Twins while Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.97) will be used as an opener for the Rays.

Berrios has struggled in his career against Tampa Bay, compiling a 0-2 record and 8.44 ERA in three career starts. He also is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in two starts at Tropicana Field.

The Rays come in with a season-best six game winning streak. A major reason for that has been the hitting of outfielder Austin Meadows, who is on a seven-game hitting streak, batting .500 with four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs during the span.

Meadows started Thursday night's rout of the Twins with a three-run double and finished with two hits and four RBIs.

"I'm just seeing the ball well," said Meadows, who is batting .361 with 12 homers and 35 RBIs in 38 games. "That's the only way I can put it really. ... Things are going well. Just going up there and being aggressive, swinging at my pitches in the zone. That's the biggest thing."

Rays manager Kevin Cash is impressed with Meadows' approach.

"He just sees everything really well," Cash said. "You don't see him expand out of the zone very often and when he gets it in the zone he's getting it on the barrel (of the bat). Obviously, the sign of a good hitter that's playing great right now."

Cash waited until after the game to announce that the hard-throwing Stanek will make his 16th start in 24 games on Friday night. Stanek has faced the Twins four times in his career, including once as a starter, and is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA.

The Rays got some good news on the injury front after the game. Outfielder Tommy Pham, who had two hits but left limping after scoring during the team's five-run fourth, suffered what the team called a lower right leg cramp. An MRI came back negative.

"It feels better," Pham told the Tampa Bay Times. "I guess I need to drink more water and stop drinking soda. Good news from the MRI, but I guess we'll see how I feel (Friday)."

--Field Level Media