MLB News: Twins game postponed due to rain

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MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins were supposed to open a home series against Tampa Bay tonight. But rain has postponed the series opener.

The game will be made-up Thursday at 7:10 p.m. as part of a day-night doubleheader at Target Field. It's the second rainout at Target Field this season after only one game was postponed due to inclement weather last year. The Twins also had a rainout on Friday against the Indians, and the makeup date has not been set.

The Rays took 3-of-4 from the Twins in Florida earlier this month. All four Tampa Bay starters went at least seven innings in those contests. Wade Davis will look for his second victory in two weeks against Minnesota. Francisco Liriano, who won his first game of the year last time out, will start for the Twins Wednesday. Scott Baker will pitch the first game on Thursday.

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The Milwaukee Brewers are only a half-game behind Cincinnati in the National League Central. But the Reds have literally owned the Brewers over the last two seasons – and Milwaukee hopes to put a dent into that trend tonight at Miller Park. Since July of 2009, Cincy has won 19-of-22 games against the Brew Crew – and that includes all five of their contests so far this season. Last night, the Reds jumped out to a 7-nothing lead before the Brewers tried a late comeback and lost 9-5. Cincy has out-scored Milwaukee 32-16 in their five games this year. Brewers’ left fielder Ryan Braun will attempt to match a 28-year-old team record tonight. He hopes to reach base in his 23rd straight game to start the season, which would tie him with Hall-of-Famer Robin Yount for that mark. Braun has eight homers this season, tying him with Jose Bautista of Toronto for the Major League lead. Braun has a 10-game hitting streak. And he was named yesterday as the National League’s player-of-the-week.

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Cincinnati Reds’ starter Mike Leake will go for his second straight win since he was arrested for shoplifting from a department store just over a week ago. The 23-year-old right-hander will start for the Reds tonight when they take on the Brewers in Milwaukee. Leake is 3-0 with an ERA of just under five. Last Thursday, he held Arizona to three runs and four hits in seven innings, just a couple days after his arrest made national news. Leake said he’ll be better once the case is over – but now, he’s got to quote, “eat it, and go out there and do what I can for the team.” The Brewers will send their fifth starter, Marco Estrada, to the mound tonight. He’s 1-0 with a three-point-two-one ERA. The right-handed Estrada held Washington to one run in six innings in his last start, and he escaped with a no-decision in a four-run Milwaukee loss. The Brewers are at .500, and they’ve lost three-of-their-last-seven. The Reds are 12-and-11 – and they’re 5-0 against Milwaukee this season, after a four-run victory last night.

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The Brewers’ eighth-round draft pick from a year ago has been named the pitcher-of-the-week in the Class-“A” Midwest League. Austin Ross of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers struck out eight in seven scoreless innings against Beloit last week. He gave up three hits and walk, but did not get the decision.

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The Chicago Cubs will try to play a cleaner game tonight, when they host Colorado. The Cubs have committed seven errors in their last three contests, including four last night in a loss to Rockies. And they’ve lost four-of-their-last-five. Colorado is 15-7, but has not won back-to-back games since April 15th. Former Brewer Jorge De La Rosa will take a 3-0 record to the mound for the Rockies against James Russell, who’s 1-2. De La Rosa is 3-0 lifetime against Chicago, with a one-point-seven-four ERA in a half-dozen appearances. He hopes to give the Rockies their first two-game winning streak at Wrigley Field since 2006.

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The Chicago White Sox will try to make it two straight in the Bronx tonight. The Sox blanked the New York Yankees 2-nothing last night. It was Chicago’s second win in their last 12 games. Gavin Floyd takes a 2-1 mark to the hill for the White Sox against Ian Nova, who’s 1-2. Also in the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers will open a home series against Seattle. Mariners’ ace Felix Hernandez will try to go above .500 – but he’ll need help from a Seattle offense that has only given him one run in his last three outings. Phil Coke, who’s 1-3, will go for the Tigers.

Tags: proam, baseball, twins, brewers