Game 122: Tigers at Twins

FIRST PITCH: 6:10 PM CDT

TV: FSNO

RADIO: WCCO 830, TIBN

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The Twins have won seven straight games at Target Field, and will attempt to run that number to eight tonight. After putting the hurt on the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, the Twins utilized a late-game power surge to blow past the Beisbolcats for a second consecutive night.

In addition to the homestand streak, Minnesota has won four in a row this week, and would find themselves just four games below .500 if they win tonight. While the Twins are out of the playoff conversation, a winning record is still well within reach, and would mitigate this season from being a complete disaster. And besides, remember 2016? We’re pretty far from a complete disaster, anyway.

Detroit’s Starter: Ryan Carpenter

(0-1, 6.39 ERA, 7.35 FIP, 12.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 5.0 K/9, -0.3 fWAR)

In a battle of the rookies, the Tigers will dish up 27-year-old lefty Ryan Carpenter. A 7th-round selection by Tampa Bay in the 2011 draft, Carpenter has spent time in the Rays’, Rockies’, and Tigers’ minor-league systems.

In possession of a sinking fastball and slider, Carpenter also utilizes a curve and change en route to a career groundball percentage of 35.4% as a professional. He’s been largely mediocre at all levels this season (par for the course for these 2018 Tigers). Carpenter is making his first appearance since a start on May 31st, where he held the Angels to one run over four innings at Comerica Park.

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images

Minnesota’s Starter: Kohl Stewart

(0-1, 6.23 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 4.1 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 2.1 K/9, 0.1 fWAR)

The Twins will answer with the even younger and even less-experienced Kohl Stewart, who faced these same Tigers last week in his major-league debut in the Motor City. He couldn’t complete five innings, but was working with a short leash, as he was pulled with just 74 pitches and just three runs allowed.

He’ll face the same squad tonight, and the question will be whether Stewart or the Tigers will have learned more from their last meeting.

Tonight’s Lineups

Notes

As you might have inferred from the photo accompanying the headline, tonight’s game has a little something to do with Jack Morris. Tonight, the Twins will be honoring the 1991 World Series MVP and St. Paul native as he celebrates his recent Hall of Fame induction in front of the two teams most closely associated with him. Congrats, Jack!

GO TWINS GO!!!