Twins-Boston series preview

THREE-GAME SERIES AT TARGET FIELD

Monday, 1:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-1, 6.00 ERA) vs. RHP Joe Kelly (1-3, 5.13)

Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. • FSN, 96.3-FM

RHP Mike Pelfrey (3-1, 3.00) vs. Clay Buchholz (2-5, 4.58)

Wednesday, 12:10 p.m. • No TV, 96.3-FM

RHP Phil Hughes (3-4, 4.50) vs. RHP Rick Porcello (4-3, 5.07)

TWINS UPDATE

Nolasco has won four consecutive starts since coming off the disabled list despite not completing six innings in any of them. But the Twins have averaged 6.3 runs over those four games. With a victory Monday, Nolasco would win five games in a month for third time in his career. It also would be career victory No. 100. … The Twins were 2-4 vs. Boston last year but did take two of three at Target Field. … CF Aaron Hicks spent the weekend series against the White Sox making big catches but finally came through at the plate. His bloop single in the seventh inning Sunday ended an 0-for-13 skid. … Kurt Suzuki is a career .533 hitter against Buchholz and Joe Mauer is batting .438 against him, but Brian Dozier (.167), Torii Hunter (.143) and Trevor Plouffe (.077) have struggled.

RED SOX UPDATE

The slumbering Red Sox lineup might be waking up, scoring 19 runs in three weekend games against the Angels. Despite a lineup featuring Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, Boston had scored four or fewer runs nine games in a row before Friday. The Red Sox are still 28th in the majors with a .220 batting average with runners in scoring position. "The players that we're counting on, we've got to them rolling," Boston manager John Farrell said. … Buchholz is coming around after a poor start to the season, giving up six earned runs in 21⅔ innings (2.49 ERA) over his past three starts. … Ortiz is a career .345 hitter against his former team with 20 homers and 50 RBI in 60 games. He is batting .509 at Target Field with nine homers in 14 games.

La VELLE E. NEAL III