video thumbnail

SEA@MIN: Deduno strikes out nine over seven scoreless

Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno has put together a solid season. He's 5-3 with a 3.66 ERA, but it's the reduced number of walks in recent starts that really has the Twins encouraged.

Deduno will get the start in Monday's series finale against the Indians opposite Justin Masterson.

Deduno started the season with big struggles in terms of walks. In his first eight starts, he walked a total of 36 batters, and at one point he went five straight starts in which he walked at least four batters. In his last three starts, however, he's walked just four hitters overall.

The last two starts have been particularly good. On Aug. 29 against Seattle, Deduno pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking none, and striking out a season-high nine batters. Last time out against Chicago, he gave up just two runs in six innings of work.

"He can throw a breaking ball over at just about any time, [but] his fastball moves all over the place," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of his pitcher. "He just has great stuff and if he gets himself in a few messes, he can get himself out of them with that stuff."

Deduno has faced the Indians twice already this season. His one start against the Tribe at Target Field, which came on July 28, was a strong one. He went seven innings and allowed only one run on two hits. But he walked five in that game.

Masterson will oppose Deduno, making the start for Cleveland. Masterson has started three times against the Twins this year, and things have not gone very well. He's 1-2 in those outings with a 6.27 ERA. He's given up 15 runs on 17 hits in 18 2/3 innings.

Masterson has earned a decision in each of his last nine starts. In seven starts since the beginning of August, Masterson is 4-3 with a 6.18 ERA. Last time out against the Tigers, he gave up just two runs in six innings of work.

Indians: Chisenhall returns
• Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall was activated from the 60-day disabled list on Sunday, and he'll likely play in Monday's game. Chisenhall went to the DL on June 30 after being hit with a pitch and suffering a broken right forearm. Indians manager Manny Acta said that Chisenhall will likely play a few times a week.

Twins: Mauer feasts against Cleveland, not Masterson
• Joe Mauer has hit the Indians well in his career, posting a .338 lifetime average versus Cleveland. He's hit seven home runs and driven in 48 runs in 101 career games. However, he's hitting just .240 in 25 career at-bats against Masterson, with just one extra-base hit, two RBIs and four walks.

• The Twins are hitting .284 at Target Field this season and had the third-best home batting average in the American League entering play Sunday.

• Justin Morneau's two home runs Sunday against the Indians were his 23rd and 24th against Cleveland in his career. He's now hit more home runs against the Indians than any other team. Prior to the home run, he had 22 each against Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City.

Worth noting
• Josh Willingham has only picked up two hits in his 10 career at-bats against Masterson, but one is a double and the other a home run.

• Carlos Santana hit his 15th home run of the season in Sunday's game. It was his fourth of the year against Minnesota.

MLB.com Comments