Plouffe starting at third base as Twins try to avoid another sweep

ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Justin Morneau is back in Anaheim after getting good news Tuesday in Minnesota regarding his surgically repaired left wrist. Morneau probably won’t play until Friday, at the earliest, but it’s got to be a relief to know he hasn’t done significant damage to the wrist.

The Twins are in a free fall. They’ve been swept three times, and the Angels can make it four tonight, with Jered Weaver on the mound.

Weaver has made four good starts this year. His one hiccup came April 11 at Target Field, when he gave up five runs over six innings in a 6-5 loss to the Twins. Chris Parmelee’s two-run triple in the seventh inning was the big hit that night.

The Twins counter with Liam Hendriks, who is looking for his first win in his eighth major league start. Hendriks’ last start -- a seven-run, four-inning outing against Boston last Wednesday -- led pitching coach Rick Anderson to call a rare postgame pitchers and catchers meeting. Anderson stressed the importance of sticking to the game plan and pitching to their strengths.

We’ll see if Hendricks took those lessons to heart.

Update: Danny Valencia is not in the lineup, and with Sean Burroughs gone, Trevor Plouffe will make his major league debut at third base. Plouffe played 76 games at third in the minors, but has yet to play there in the majors.

Update: Valencia's back stiffened up on him Tuesday night. He and Morneau will not swing a bat tonight but both could play Friday, Manager Ron Gardenhire said. Actually, Gardenhire went on to say that Valencia would be available off the bench tonight if the team needed him. "We gave him some Weaveritis medicine, and he should be fine," Gardenhire said. "But he did make it known that he has two home runs off of him."

TWINS (6-17)

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, DH
4. Josh Willingham, LF
5. Ryan Doumit, C
6. Chris Parmelee, 1B
7. Trevor Plouffe, 3B
8. Clete Thomas, RF
9. Jamey Carroll, SS

Starting pitcher: RH Liam Hendriks (0-1, 6.89 ERA)

ANGELS (9-15)

1. Erick Aybar, SS (corrected)
2. Vernon Wells, LF
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Kendry Morales, DH
5. Torii Hunter, RF
6. Howie Kendrick, 2B
7. Mark Trumbo, 3B
8. Chris Ianetta, C
9. Peter Bourjos, CF

Starting pitcher: RH Jered Weaver (3-0, 2.02 ERA)

Angel Stadium. First pitch: 9:05 p.m. (Central). FSN. Twins Radio Network

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