First Pitch - 3:10 pm CDT

Ricky Nolasco (1-3, 5.54 ERA, 46 K)
Taijuan Walker (204, 2.70 ERA, 47 K)

Cowabunga! The Twins are riding the crest of a winning wave, three in a row now with a chance to notch a sweep against a pretty good Mariners team. You wouldn't think that winning two games in a row on the road would be a big deal, but this year we have to find our pleasure in the small accomplishments. Nunez continues to be a lot of fun to watch, Joe Mauer is hitting again after slumping for a few weeks, with Plouffe! sidelined with a sore knee we may get to see Sano play a little third base and an outfielder play right field. Buxton has been tearing it up in Rochester; with Mastroianna on the DL and Rosario shipped down, we could see the kid back in the show before long. Grossman has been a nice edition and gives Molitor more outfield flexibility. His slash line (.375/.500/.625/1.125) is a short sample size fluke and he's bound to regress before too long, but it's nice to see while it lasts.

On the mound today, the Twins Ricky Nolasco squares off with Taijuan Walker. Nolasco had a very good April but he's had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad May, posting an 8.14 ERA. He lasted less than three innings in his last start, giving up six runs to the Royals on Monday. At just 23 years old, Walker is having a solid season, though he is 0-4 with a 3.96 ERA in his last five starts, but with eight unearned runs in that span he's had some bad luck and/or some bad fielding behind him. Walker has faced the Twins once, throwing a complete game one-hitter against them at the end of last July.

Play ball!