New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have one more shot at the New York Yankees in possibly the final game, barring a playoff matchup, between the teams at the Metrodome. The Twins will look to avoid being swept in the season series against New York for the third time in nine seasons.

Plenty of teams have trouble playing against the storied Yankees (50-34), but no one seems as inept against them as the Minnesota Twins (43-42), who had been playing excellent baseball until their nemesis arrived in town.

The Twins had won eight of their last 13 to pull within a game and a half of the AL-Central leading Detroit Tigers until facing New York in the first game of a three-game home series.

The result have been all to familiar two losses, 10-2 to old adversary C.C. Sabathia on Tuesday and 5-4 on Wednesday, have seen the Minnesota Twins topple to third place, 3 1/2 games behind Detroit and a game and a half behind the second-place Chicago White Sox.

The loss on Wednesday was the six straight for Minnesota against New York this season after the Twins dropped four in a series in the Bronx from May 15-18. The New York Yankees have won 12 of the last 16 games over the Twins dating back to the beginning of last season.

Minnesota has not won a season series against New York since 2001 and has been swept in the season series twice before, 2002 and 2003. They also beat them in back-to-back years in the AL divisional series in 2003 and 2004, winning all four of those games in Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have won 12 of 14 and seven in a row on the road and they have pulled within a game of the first-place Boston Red Sox.

Alfredo Aceves (5-1, 2.03) will attempt to get the Yankees’ eighth straight win on the road for the first time since 2008. Aceves will need some help from the bullpen regardless of his performance as he will be limited to just 65 pitches in his first start since September.

Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.49) has been moved up in the rotation after Glen Perkins was scratched out of his start on Wednesday due to a high fever. Liriano has lasted at least seven innings three out of his last four times on the hill, something he did just twice in his first 13 outings. In his last outing, he gave up three runs over seven innings and fanned eight, but received a no-decision in the 4-3 victory over the Tigers on Saturday.

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