Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox

Owned. Dominated. Embarrassed.

Those are three apt words to describe the Minnesota Twins being dominated at the hands of the New York Yankees. The Twins were swept at home, for the first time this season, and were swept in the seven-game season series by the Yankees and try to pick up the pieces this weekend and face a team which they have dominated in recent times.

The Twins (43-43) came into the series with the Yankees red-hot and were looking to move up in the AL Central. Three losses later, they find themselves four games behind the Central-leading Detroit Tigers and a game and a half behind the second place Chicago White Sox (44-41), although they have a chance to reverse their standing with a good series against the Chicago White Sox, who have not fared very well in the Metrodome.

The Central teams have not met since the memorable May 21st game in which Minnesota Twins toppled Chicago 20-1 at U.S. Cellular Field. That was only one of two victories that the Twins have notched against the White Sox this season in six games, all in Chicago.

But it is usually a different story when the teams play in Minnesota. Chicago, like most of the rest of baseball, particularly the AL Central, will be happy to see the Metrodome be retired after this season.

The Twins annually post one of the best records in baseball at home. Despite losing the last three to New York, Minnesota is 26-19 there this season and beat Chicago eight out of nine games there last year.

But the White Sox bring in one of the hottest pitchers in baseball when John Danks (7-6, 3.76) takes to the mound, putting his 1.51 ERA over his last five starts on the line. He won his last game, upping his record over that five game span to 3-2, by allowing five hits and striking out seven in 7 1/3 shutout innings in the 5-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Danks has not allowed a run in nearly 20 innings.

The Twins rotation continues to be pushed around as Glen Perkins tries to recover from the flu and they will go with Nick Blackburn (7-4, 2.94) a day early. Blackburn posted a complete game in his last start on Sunday when he held the Tigers to one earned run in the Twins 6-2 win.

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