THREE-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD
Friday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN 1500-AM
RHP Kevin Slowey (0-5, 6.07 ERA) vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (9-11, 4.61)
Saturday, 12:10 p.m. • FSN 1500-AM
RHP Anthony Swarzak (3-6, 3.89) vs. RHP Jeanmar Gomez (3-2, 3.95)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN 1500-AM
RHP Carl Pavano (8-12, 4.50) vs. RHP Justin Masterson (11-10, 3.20)
TWINS UPDATE
The Twins are 9-33 in their past 42 games and need to finish 4-10 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1982. They are 6-5 against the Indians this year and will face them again next weekend, in a four-game series in Cleveland. ... Winless in five starts, Slowey is still looking for his first victory since Sept. 18, 2010. ... The Twins will hold a special pregame ceremony Saturday honoring John Gordon, who is retiring after 25 years as the team's radio broadcaster.
INDIANS UPDATE
With Detroit's magic number at one, any Cleveland loss or Tigers victory at Oakland this weekend will give the Tigers their first division title since 1987. ... Jim Thome will be returning to Target Field for the first time since the Aug. 25 trade that sent him back to Cleveland. Thome has batted .240 with one homer and three RBI in 14 games with the Indians. The Twins still haven't received the player to be named. ... When the Indians sent their top two pitching prospects to Colorado for Jimenez on July 30, they knew they could keep Jimenez through 2014. So that move could pay dividends even though the Indians have fallen out of the race. Still, they have yet to see the Jimenez who went 13-1 with a 1.15 ERA in his first 14 starts in 2010.
