Jays hope to sweep away Twins at Metrodome
Posted: Thu May 15 10:54 AM
(Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays shoot for their first three-game sweep of the Twins in Minnesota in more than five years today, as the two clubs end a three-game series at the Metrodome.
Toronto has taken the first two games of this set and can record its first three-game sweep at the Metrodome since April 4-6, 2003. The Blue Jays did record a home sweep over the Twins on July 23-25 of last season.
In the second game of this set on Wednesday, Matt Stairs ripped a grand slam and the Blue Jays edged the Twins, 6-5. It was the 11th grand slam of Stairs' career and first since May 19 of last season in Philadelphia.
Roy Halladay (4-5) went 6 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits in the win. He did not walk a batter and struck out eight for the Jays, who have won three straight after dropping four in a row and improved to 3-3 on a 10- game road trip that takes the club into Philly over the weekend.
Brad Wilkerson had two hits, one RBI and scored a run for Toronto, while Scott Rolen doubled and scored twice.
Dustin McGowan will try to rebound from his worst outing of the season today for Toronto. McGowan was lit up for a season-high nine runs on nine hits in a season-low 3 2/3 innings on Saturday versus Cleveland. He ran into trouble early giving up six runs on five hits and a walk in the first inning.
McGowan fell to 2-4 after the outing, and his earned run average rose from 2.95 to 4.47. He had given up just a run and eight hits in his previous two outings, spanning 14 2/3 frames.
The right-hander is 1-0 in two career outings versus the Twins, one of those starts, and has yet to allow an earned run in 8 1/3 frames against them. In a home start against them last year, McGowan pitched 7 1/3 scoreless frames to pick up the win.
The Twins send Glen Perkins to the hill this afternoon. After making 23 relief appearances, Perkins started for the first time on Saturday against Boston and took the loss in his first major-league decision. He gave up nine hits in six innings, but three of those were solo home runs in a 5-2 setback.
The left-hander has never faced the Blue Jays before and has a 3.51 ERA in 12 gams (1 start) lifetime at the Metrodome.
Boof Bonser (2-5) gave up five runs on five hits and three walks in six innings of work for Minnesota yesterday to take the loss. He has allowed five or more runs in three consecutive starts.
Justin Morneau was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, and Jason Kubel had two doubles and two RBI for the Twins, who dropped their second straight and are now a half-game behind Cleveland for first place in the American League Central.
Toronto won six of its 10 matchups with Minnesota last year and is 13-6 versus the Twins since the start of the 2006 season. The Blue Jays are 8-5 at the Metrodome in that span.
