BOSTON — A losing streak? It's hard for the Twins to remember what those are. For the first time since May 10-12, Minnesota has lost back-to-back games, and for the first time since April 20-21, they've come against the same team. The Twins haven't had a three-game losing streak since the season's first week.
But Paul Molitor said he doesn't expect Wednesday's first game, a 6-3 loss to the Red Sox, to have any carryover effect on the nightcap, which starts at 6:05 p.m. CDT.
"People have been trying to figure out momentum for a long time," Molitor said. "I look at it as a tough loss, and trust more in our guys preparing to play the game."
Molitor will change his lineup for Game 2, with three players who sat out the first game — Joe Mauer (who pinch-hit and played one inning in the first game), Eddie Rosario and Chris Herrmann — getting starts in the second one. Torii Hunter will serve as the DH.
Here are the lineups for Game 2, as the Twins try for the third time to clinch the season series against Boston:
TWINS
Dozier 2B
Hunter DH
Mauer 1B
Plouffe 3B
Rosario RF
Escobar LF
Herrmann C
Hicks CF
Santana SS
May RHP
RED SOX
Pedroia 2B
Holt RF
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Sandoval 3B
Bogaerts SS
Betts CF
Swihart C
Peguero LF
Porcello RHP