Shields hopes to remain unbeaten in clash with Twins
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Right-hander James Shields can remain unbeaten in his fourth start of the year tonight when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Minnesota Twins in game two of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.
A second-place finisher in the voting for the American League's Cy Young Award last season, Shields won 16 games, pitched a career-high 249 1/3 innings and completed a league-best 11 games for the Rays en route to a third playoff appearance in four seasons.
He was 14-8 for Tampa Bay in its league championship-winning season in 2008 and won 13 times in a follow-up playoff run in 2010.
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In three starts thus far in 2012, Shields has logged 21 1/3 innings, allowed 19 hits and eight runs while beating Detroit and Boston and getting a no- decision against New York. The Rays have won all three starts, outscoring foes 12-8.
Shields is 3-2 in nine lifetime starts against Minnesota.
He's opposed by 36-year-old veteran Carl Pavano, who makes the 295th appearance of a big-league career that began with the Montreal Expos in 1998.
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The Connecticut native has pitched for the Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Cleveland and Minnesota, with his best seasons coming in 2004 - when he was 18-8 for the Marlins - and 2010, when he was 17-11 for the Twins.
Pavano has split two decisions in three starts to open this season while allowing 19 hits and 12 runs in 20 2/3 innings with three walks and 10 strikeouts.
He's 5-4 in 13 career starts against Tampa Bay with a 3.47 ERA.
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In Friday's opener, Josh Willingham smacked the go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning, lifting the Twins to a 5-4 win.
Joe Mauer added a pair of RBI singles for the Twins, who are 3-3 over their last six contests following a three-game losing streak.
Matt Maloney (1-0) relieved starter Liam Hendricks, who gave up four runs on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings, in the sixth and tossed a scoreless frame in relief to get the win. Matt Capps earned the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
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Evan Longoria had a two-run home run, while Matt Joyce added a solo shot for the Rays, who had their eight-game home regular-season winning streak snapped.
Matt Moore allowed three runs on eight hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.
The Rays went 7-3 versus the Twins last season.