Matt Vierling is doing his best to keep Javier Baez from carrying the offensive load for the Detroit Tigers.
Both players have helped the Tigers win the first two games of their four-game series against the Minnesota Twins, and they will try to make it three in a row on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis.
The Tigers haven’t won three straight games since a five-game winning streak from May 3-6.
Baez has five RBIs through the first two games of the series, including a three-run homer in a five-run third inning on Friday night that paved the way for the 7-1 victory.
“He also thrives on what his teammates are doing, too,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said. “He doesn’t need to carry the whole workload, but when he does things like (Friday) night, it helps us separate and we’re a completely different team.”
Vierling hit two solo homers on Friday night and is 9-for-17 (.529) with three home runs in five games since coming off the injured list after recovering from lower back soreness.
“He’s obviously freed up and swinging at some pretty good pitches and getting the ball airborne to the seats,” Hinch said. “He’s got a couple homers, but also some really key base hits the other way and on the ground. He’s played good defense. It’s great to have him back. It balances out our lineup a ton.”
The Twins will try to play a better brand of baseball after some uncharacteristic mistakes popped up the past two losses, dropping their record back to .500 (35-35).
On Friday, Donovan Solano was tagged out after he overran third base on a double by Joey Gallo in the second inning. The next batter flied out to deep center to end the inning.
Minnesota has also struck out 21 times in the series and walked just twice.
“I think we’ll clean it up,” said Joe Ryan, the starting pitcher on Friday night. “Just play a little bit better baseball and work on the fundamentals and just execute.”
Detroit plans to send Joey Wentz to the mound on Saturday after his previous scheduled start was pushed back a day.
Wentz (1-6, 7.23 ERA) is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his past six outings, five of them starts.
He allowed just one hit in 4 1/3 innings on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but that hit was a two-run homer, leaving him without a decision in the Tigers’ eventual 7-5 loss.
Wentz has made two starts in his career against the Twins and has not allowed a run in 8 2/3 innings, giving up just two unearned runs on three hits. He did not get a decision in either appearance.
The Tigers survived a bullpen game on Friday, and the Twins will try to do the same on Saturday when they send Jose De Leon to the mound.
De Leon (0-1, 3.86 ERA) has not started a game this season, as all 10 of his outings have come in relief. His two longest appearances both lasted two innings.
Brent Headrick is also expected to be recalled from Triple-A Saint Paul on Saturday and will be available to pitch for the Twins for the first time since April 26.
–Field Level Media
