Face to face for a vital showdown

The Twins and Tigers have been tracking each other's progress for weeks in the AL Central. Now, they're in the same building for a crucial three-game series.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: September 18, 2009 - 9:22 AM

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TWINS VS. DETROIT Three-game series at the Metrodome

Game 1 at 7:10 tonight • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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Joe Nathan never has blown a save against the Tigers. He's 28-for-28.

Carl Pavano is 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA against Detroit this year. Denard Span is a career .430 hitter against the Tigers; Joe Mauer .350.

The Twins are 5-1 against Detroit at home this season, and the Tigers' lone victory took 16 innings.

So even without injured Tigers killers Joe Crede and Justin Morneau, the Twins can feel confident heading into this three-game showdown, starting tonight at the Metrodome.

It's a make-or-break series for the Twins, who sit four games behind the first-place Tigers in the AL Central.

"At this point in the season, the pressure's on everybody because everybody's gotta win," Michael Cuddyer said. "Even if you have a four-game lead, you've still gotta go out there and win the games. That's the beauty or ugliness -- however you want to look at it -- of the unbalanced schedule. Each team controls their own destiny."

Morneau and Crede have combined to hit 43 career home runs against Detroit, so losing them to recent back injuries would seem devastating.

But the Twins have somehow played some of their best baseball without those two sluggers. Nathan said the injuries seemed to give others "a wake-up call."

"It's almost like their energy picked up, and it seemed like they focused a lot more," Nathan said. "It seems like, 'All right, we can't rely on Morneau to hit a big homer for us. We've gotta do some of the little things and play good baseball.' Hopefully this little stretch helps us not only now but when Morneau's back next year."

The Twins expect good things from Span, Mauer, Cuddyer and Jason Kubel. But others in the margins -- Jose Morales, Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto -- have played bigger roles recently, and manager Ron Gardenhire hinted this will continue into the weekend.

Kubel could see more time in the outfield, so Morales, batting .361, can DH. Look for Tolbert to continue getting starts at third base after raising his average from .178 to .206 this week, and look for Punto to continue anchoring second base, since he's batting .351 in September.

"Morales continues to have great at-bats," Gardenhire said. "Try to keep him in there a little more. Matty Tolbert's getting out there and battling and covering some ground at third base. Nicky's stepping up. That's what has to happen, guys have to step up."

Since the Tigers built a season-high seven-game lead on Sept. 6, they are 3-7, and the Twins are 6-4.

The Twins have a four-game winning streak; five in a row would match their season high. The Tigers, meanwhile, are 1-5 against the Royals in September. They scratched Jarrod Washburn from Sunday's start because of a knee injury, leaving Nate Robertson to replace him. Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander will pitch the first two games.

"Timing? Who knows, until you get into the series," Nathan said. "We've played good before and got to a series and things have done a 180. Same with [the Tigers]. They're struggling now, but they've got guys on that team that can turn things around in a hurry."

Tonight, rookie lefthander Brian Duensing will try to build on the Twins' momentum. He's been a big surprise, going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his first six career starts. Pavano follows Saturday, with second-half ace Scott Baker on Sunday.

Is Duensing up to the challenge?

"It would almost be impossible to take it as another start," Gardenhire said. "To be able to control your emotions, who knows? But to this point he's been able to control them, so we'll see. I don't think he has much fear. He's ready to go."

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