FOUR-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD

Thursday 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Phil Hughes (8-4, 3.58 ERA) vs. RHP Masahiro Tanaka (11-3, 2.10)

Friday, 2:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Kyle Gibson (7-6, 3.77) vs. RHP Chase Whitley (3-2, 4.70)

Saturday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Yohan Pino (0-2, 6.32) vs. RHP David Phelps (3-4, 4.26)

Sunday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-6, 5.49) vs. RHP Hiroki Kuroda (5-6, 4.08)

TWINS UPDATE

Nolasco beat the Royals on Tuesday, his first victory since June 4 in Milwaukee. Pitching coach Rick Anderson has been working with him on commanding his fastball. Nolasco has a 3.30 ERA at home. … Brian Dozier is on an 0-for-17 skid. … Oswaldo Arcia drew two walks Wednesday, something he had done only one other time this season. … No Twins player has a home run against any of the four scheduled Yankees starters this series. … Eduardo Escobar went 2-for-4 against Tanaka when the teams met in May. … Glen Perkins needs two saves to tie Ron Perranoski for seventh on the Twins' career list.

YANKEES UPDATE

New York is staggering into Target Field on a five-game losing streak that has dropped the Yankees below .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2007. "I still believe in this team," manager Joe Girardi said. "We just need to play better. It's a lot of different phases." … Tanaka gave up one unearned run over eight innings in beating the Twins on May 31. It just so happens that all three of his losses have come against teams he's faced twice, although two of the losses were well-pitched games. … Ichiro Suzuki is in a 1-for-18 skid. His career hit total remains at 2,788.

La VELLE E. NEAL III