Tampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Sun Jul 4, 2010

James Shields and Nick Blackburn have to be thrilled that June is over, but both found some positives in the final outing of what was a dreadful month for both. Shields tries to snap a seven-start losing streak Sunday afternoon at Target Field, where Blackburn finally has a win to build on as he looks to help his Minnesota Twins salvage a split of their four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays. Shields had a 2.99 ERA through his first 10 outings, but nothing’s gone right in the past six weeks. His last win came May 20—in relief — and he has an 8.55 ERA in his last six starts. Blackburn can certainly relate. The Minnesota right-hander went 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA in May, but was 0-4 with a 12.05 ERA in his first five June starts prior to Tuesday’s outing against Detroit. While Blackburn was hardly spotless, he and the Twins certainly won’t argue with the result. He gave up four runs over seven innings in a confidence-boosting 11-4 win.

Shields felt the same way about his final start last month, even though he failed to snap his losing streak. He was encouraged despite giving up five runs over five innings Tuesday at Boston in an 8-5 defeat. This will be Shields’ first time pitching at Target Field, but he figures to be happy for a new start away from the Metrodome. He was 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three previous starts there. Jason Kubel and Joe Mauer are both 7 for 15 versus Shields. Blackburn was 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay last season, but there’s one batter he’ll want to approach with caution. Rays catcher Kelly Shoppach is 6 for 9 with two homers against Blackburn. While Shoppach seems like an unlikely candidate to get a big hit, perhaps the most obscure name on the Rays’ roster delivered the big blow Saturday. Matt Joyce, batting .158, had a pinch-hit grand slam off reliever Matt Guerrier to cap a seven-run eighth inning in Tampa Bay’s come-from-behind 8-6 win.