The Twins come home tonight to begin a six-day homestand with a rare twist: Four of the six games are day games. Maybe turning Target Field into Wrigley Field is a good thing: Minnesota is 5-8 in the sunshine, reasonably better than its 10-21 record at night, and has won two of its last three.
This is blog is filed by Phil Miller, who is covering tonight's game as La Velle catches his breath from the road trip.
The Twins are back from a 5-3 road trip, and that's got to look pretty good to the Tigers, their weekend opponent. Detroit is arguably an even bigger disappointment than the Twins, sitting six games behind the first-place Indians after being swept in Cleveland this week. The Tigers have lost nine of their past 13, including both games of a two-game visit by the Twins last week.
Anthony Swarzak makes his first start since April 19, when he was shelled by the Yankees for six runs in 2 2/3 innings at Yankee Stadium. He was sent to the bullpen after that start, but has earned another shot by posting a 3.06 ERA in his last nine appearances.
TWINS
Span cf
Revere rf
Mauer c
Willingham dh
Morneau 1b
Dozier ss
Plouffe lf
Casilla 2b
Carroll 3b
Swarzak p
TIGERS
Berry cf
Dirks lf
Cabrera 3b
Fielder 1b
Young dh
Boesch rf
Peralta ss
Avila c
Raburn 2b
Smyly p