Game #62 Preview: Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins

Houston Astros (26-35) at Minnesota Twins (28-30), 7:10 pm (CT)

TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Twins SBNation Blog: Twinkie Town

Pitching Matchup

LHP Dallas Keuchel (6-3, 2.70 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) vs. Phil Hughes (6-1, 3.12 ERA, 1.13 WHIP)

Preview

What a great way to end a day filled with the MLB draft then to watch a great pitching duel at Target field. Great, you say? Yes, in fact it is. The Astros' Dallas Keuchel who seventh in the AL in ERA (2.70) and third in WHIP (1.02). He leads the majors in groundball to flyball ration at 2.00 and is far ahead of the next person in line, the Padres' Tyson Ross at 1.60. On the other side, the Twins run out Phil Huges. Hughes, who hasn't lost a decision since April15. For the record that is eight straight starts, all eight starts have fallen in the quality start catagory. So I say again, tonight will be a great pitcher's duel.

Keuchel coming off a rare loss this season, giving up three runs over six innings as the Astros fell 4-1 to the Orioles. Before that start, he was one out away from three straight complete games - givining up just two earned runs over 26.2 innings. Hughes on the other hand, pitched eight innings of two-run baseball against his former team the Yankees in his most recent start.

The Astros' lefty has an ERA of 5.40 in 1.2 innings of work in his career against the Twins. Jason Kubel is 2-for-3 in his career with two home runs against Keuchel. Oswaldo Arcia, Brian Dozier, and Eric Fryer are each 1-for-1 in their careers against Keuchel. Chris Carter is the only Astro on the current roster to have preivously faced Hughes, he is 1-for-3.

Robbie Grossman is leading the team in OPS (1.004) and batting average (.400) over the team's last six games. Dexter Fowler has rebounded from a tough end of April with seven hits in his last 20 at-bats. George Springer has cooled off a bit, hitting just .130 in his last 23 at-bats.

Jonathan Villar is out of the lineup for the second straight day after being hit with a pitch in his right elbow.