Sat Jul 19 11:20:47 2008

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Rangers, Twins continue series at Metrodome

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(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins will try to silence the hard-hitting Texas Rangers for a second straight night when the teams play the second of a three-game set at the Metrodome.

In the first game of this set on Friday, Glen Perkins was brilliant on the mound to win his fifth straight decision, and Delmon Young went 4-for-4, as the Twins rolled, 6-0.

Perkins (7-2) lasted six frames and yielded just three hits. Craig Breslow, Jesse Crain and Boof Bonser each threw a perfect inning of relief.

Jason Kubel and Brian Buscher each had two hits and two runs driven in for the Twins, who have won four of five overall.

Michael Young went 1-for-3 to extend his hit streak to 16 games for the Rangers, who were shut out for the first time all season and have now alternated wins and losses for the past six games. Ian Kinsler went 0-for-4, snapping his hit streak at 25 games, which is three short of the franchise record set by Gabe Kapler in 2000.

Josh Hamilton, who hit 28 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby on Monday, went hitless in four at-bats.

Kevin Millwood (6-6) took the loss as he was touched for five runs on 11 hits while striking out six and walking only one over 6 1/3 innings.

The Rangers are hoping for a better effort from tonight's starter Matt Harrison, who is making just his third major league start. The left-hander won his major league debut on July 8th, allowing two earned runs over seven innings of 3-2 victory over the Angels, but was rocked in his last outing. He was tagged for five earned runs and seven hits in only 2 2/3 innings of work against the White Sox on July 13th. Texas eventually won the game 12-11.

Getting the nod for the Twins will be veteran Livan Hernandez. The right- hander has dropped two of his last three starts, giving up 13 earned runs over 17 1/3 innings.

In his last start on July 9th, Hernandez was torched for six earned runs and 11 hits over 4 1/3 innings of an 18-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Hernandez has made five career starts against Texas, going 3-1 despite a whopping 8.69 ERA. In two starts against the Rangers this season, he has compiled a 13.50 ERA and allowed 19 hits in only eight innings.

The Twins and Rangers have split eight meetings this season, but Minnesota took seven of the last eight encounters with Texas last year.