Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Rowdy Tellez is riding high after a stellar at-bat, aiming to maintain his momentum into the rest of the season. Tellez and the Pirates are looking to complete a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, following back-to-back shutout victories. On Saturday, Tellez’s homer and three RBIs propelled Pittsburgh to a 4-0 win, marking their fifth victory in seven games.
The Twins, on the other hand, are struggling with a five-game losing streak and a 22-inning scoreless drought. They managed only six singles in their latest defeat. Minnesota’s manager, Rocco Baldelli, emphasized the need for the team to make adjustments to overcome their current slump. Despite having capable hitters, the team is not performing at the needed level.
Tellez, previously in a season-long slump, won over Pirates fans with a solo home run in the seventh inning on Saturday, his first since March 31. The fans’ chants of his name were a testament to their support, which Pirates manager Derek Shelton appreciated. He praised the fans and Tellez’s hard work and positive attitude despite his struggles.
Rookie right-hander Jared Jones will start for Pittsburgh in the series finale. Jones, who has a 4-5 record and a 3.25 ERA, delivered six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Tuesday. Shelton was impressed with Jones’ performance against a tough lineup. Jones, 22, has consistently allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of his 12 starts and will be facing the Twins for the first time in his career.
Minnesota will counter with right-hander Bailey Ober, who has a 5-4 record and a 4.94 ERA. Ober struggled in his last outing against the New York Yankees, giving up three runs and walking four over five innings. He has lost three of his past four starts, surrendering 16 runs over 19 innings. Ober will also be making his first appearance against the Pirates, with four current Pittsburgh hitters combining for a .208 average against him.
A bright spot for the Twins’ struggling offense is infielder Jose Miranda. Over his past 36 games, Miranda has hit .294 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. Baldelli praised Miranda’s strong performance and is looking to include him in the lineup regularly due to his consistent production and hard-hitting balls.
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