NewsFormidable opponent awaits Twins
Minnesota (84-76) vs. Kansas City (65-95), 3:10 p.m. CT
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
10/03/09 2:34 AM EST
MINNESOTA -- The Twins knew it wasn't the ideal draw when they learned that they would face Royals ace Zack Greinke twice over the final eight days of the regular season, including Saturday's contest at the Metrodome. After getting beaten by Greinke in the first of those matchups Sunday in Kansas City, Delmon Young was asked if the Twins had learned anything from their first glimpse at the American League Cy Young Award candidate. "Yeah, we need to go to church and pray to score some runs," Young said. "He's nasty, and he's looking to go for a Cy Young. [CC} Sabathia got crushed tonight, so it's all on his hands. It's national TV, going up against an AL MVP candidate [in Joe Mauer], so he might go nine tomorrow." The game will be on FOX with Daron Sutton and Bert Blyleven doing the commentary.Facing Greinke is a formidable task and not the one the Twins would like as they look to tie things up in the American League Central. On Friday night, the Twins managed to cut their deficit in the division to one game with two left to play.
The Twins are well aware how tenuous their situation is. If they lose on Saturday afternoon to Kansas City, the Tigers only need a win later that night over the White Sox to clinch their first division title since 1987. "We don't have a choice. We have to win, and that's just the way it is," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Some who say that chasing a division leader is far less stressful than trying to cling to a lead, but Gardenhire knows his club has a steep hill to climb. "It's easier to have a lead and just go out and win ballgames, and they can't catch you if they do that," Gardenhire said. "This way, you have to have help." Even if the Twins can find a way to defeat Greinke and the Royals on Saturday, they'll need some assistance from the White Sox because two straight Tigers wins would also mean a trip to the postseason for Detroit. It's a tall task, but 2006 serves as a reminder to the Twins that anything can happen. That season, the Twins and Tigers entered the final weekend tied for the AL Central lead. Both teams had already clinched playoff spots, but Detroit had the edge in the season series, meaning it could take the title in the event of a tie. The Twins lost their first two games against the White Sox that weekend, but so did the Tigers, falling to the Royals. On the final day of the season, the Twins beat Chicago and then watched with nearly 30,000 fans as the Royals rallied to complete the series sweep over the Tigers. It gave the Twins their fourth division title in five years. "Anything can happen, and we're just going to go out, try to win our ballgame and go from there," Gardenhire said. While the Royals will be sending Greinke to the mound on Sunday, the Twins will turn to Nick Blackburn on short rest. The right-hander will be pitching on three days' rest, marking the first time in his Major League career that he's not had his normal four days in between starts. In his last start, Blackburn delivered a strong outing in a critical situation for the Twins. He held Detroit to just one run on six hits in the first of the four head-to-head contests the two clubs had earlier this week. But due to a rainout in Monday's contest, Blackburn had to start the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday, putting him on short rest for Saturday's outing. Gardenhire said the club will have to watch Blackburn, who didn't throw a side session this week in preparation for the start. "He hasn't done it, but I don't' think it will be that difficult for him," Gardenhire said. "We'll know how he feels, ask him, and make sure we check with him and all those things. Hopefully he'll be fine." The hope of the Twins is that perhaps pitching on short rest might actually help Blackburn since he's a sinkerball pitcher. "Perhaps being less strong for him will be better -- allowing the ball to move better and all those things," Gardenhire said. "We need him to go out there and throw. He's up for it." And for the Twins hitters, their mission in facing Greinke seems to be clear -- try to find a way to score runs early. "You better get him before he gets you," Young said. "If he gets two strikes, you're going to be walking back to the dugout. Hopefully he doesn't pitch like he did at their place. You don't want to give him a lead, even a 1-0 lead, because he'll take that into the ninth and then [Joakim] Soria comes in." Pitching matchupMIN: RHP Nick Blackburn (11-11, 4.08 ERA)
The Twins have decided that they will bring back Blackburn on three days rest for this start against Kansas City. Monday's rainout in Detroit pushed back Blackburn's scheduled start to the first contest of the doubleheader on Tuesday. Blackburn said after his solid start in that contest that he would be happy to pitch on short rest, but he's never done it in his Major League career. KC: RHP Zack Greinke (16-8, 2.06 ERA)
Greinke makes his last push for the AL Cy Young Award against the Twins, the team he tamed last Sunday at Kansas City. Facing them for the first time, he held them to one run on seven hits in seven innings of a 4-1 win. Greinke now has given up just two earned runs in his last six starts, and he's 4-0 in that stretch with a 0.43 ERA. With 237 strikeouts, he's just seven shy of Dennis Leonard's Royals record of 244 set in 1977. In his 32 starts this season, Greinke has given up one or no runs in 18 of them. With a 2.06 ERA, he could post the lowest American League ERA since Pedro Martinez's 1.74 in 2000. Tidbits
Brian Duensing was available out of the bullpen for Friday's game, Gardenhire said. Carl Pavano could pitch on Sunday if the Twins are still in the race or if Duensing is used Saturday. ... Orlando Cabrera has now scored a run in 13 consecutive games, giving him the longest streak in the Majors this season. Kirby Puckett was the last Twin to have such a streak, scoring in 14 straight games in 1986. ... Michael Cuddyer added his 91st RBI of the season in Friday's win. The Twins now have four players with 90-plus RBIs on the season -- Cuddyer, Jason Kubel, Mauer and Justin Morneau -- marking the first time in team history it's happened. Tickets
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• Sunday: Twins (Brian Duensing, 5-2, 3.69) vs. Royals (Luke Hochevar, 7-12, 6.24), 1:10 p.m. CT
Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
