Carlos Santana, a 15-year MLB veteran, praises the Minnesota Twins’ strong team spirit and work ethic. Now in his first season with the Twins, who are on a six-game winning streak, Santana is impressed by the daily hard work and preparation of his teammates. The Twins will aim for a seventh consecutive win against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday evening in the second game of a three-game series in Minneapolis.
Santana recently played a key role in the Twins’ comeback win against the Rays. His two-out, walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday clinched a 7-6 victory for Minnesota, who had rallied from a 4-0 deficit. This win puts the Twins in a favorable position as they navigate the long season ahead.
The Rays, meanwhile, are hoping to avoid their second consecutive series loss. They might be without right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks, who left Tuesday’s game in the ninth inning after being hit on the hand by a comebacker from Carlos Correa. X-rays were negative, revealing a bruised right thumb. Rays manager Kevin Cash expressed optimism about Fairbanks’ recovery.
On the mound for the Twins on Wednesday will be right-hander Joe Ryan, boasting a 5-5 record and a 3.24 ERA. Ryan has delivered back-to-back quality starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics, allowing just two runs over seven innings in each game. This will be Ryan’s second career start against the Rays; in their previous meeting last September, he allowed two runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings, resulting in a no-decision.
The Rays will counter with right-hander Taj Bradley, who holds a 2-4 record with a 4.23 ERA. The 23-year-old has 50 strikeouts over 38 1/3 innings this season. In his latest start, Bradley earned a win by limiting the Chicago Cubs to two unearned runs on three hits over seven innings, walking two and striking out a season-high 11 batters.
With the Twins riding high on their current winning streak and the Rays looking to rebound, Wednesday’s game promises to be a competitive showdown.
Leave a Reply