Righty Zach McAllister tries to reverse the result of an ugly last meeting with the Minnesota Twins tonight when the Cleveland Indians resume a four-game series at Target Field.
A 24-year-old from Chillicothe, Ill., McAllister faced the Twins for the only time in his career on Aug. 6 and was chased after just 1 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs -- seven unearned -- on six hits in a 14-3 loss.
He bounced back for a win in his subsequent start against Boston five days later, going eight innings and allowing two runs on three hits for a 5-2 triumph.
McAllister is 0-2 in four starts since the defeat of the Red Sox, allowing 31 hits and 17 runs in 21 1/3 innings. He is 2-2 in six road starts this season with a 3.93 earned run average across 36 2/3 innings.
Taking the ball for Minnesota will be rookie Cole De Vries, who meets the Indians for the first time in his 17th big-league appearance.
The 27-year-old has won two consecutive starts to get within one victory of .500, downing Texas and Kansas City on the road while pitching 11 2/3 innings and giving up three runs on 10 hits.
The wins have trimmed De Vries's ERA, which had been 5.04 three starts ago, to just 4.41 after 81 2/3 total innings.
The Twins have won four of the last seven games he's pitched.
On Friday, Michael Brantley drove home the go-ahead run during a three-run seventh inning and the Indians held on for a 7-6 victory.
Russ Canzler went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and three RBI, Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI single among his three hits and Cord Phelps contributed a pinch-hit RBI for the Indians, who have won three of their last four.
David Huff (1-0) earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of relief work behind starter Jeanmar Gomez, who allowed four runs on three hits and three walks over three innings.
"It was a good comeback win," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "I think David saved the day for us. He came in and shut them down and gave us a chance to come back and win the ball game."
Josh Willingham drove in three runs, while Ben Revere, Justin Morneau and Chris Parmelee each added an RBI for the Twins, who fell for the fourth time in their last five games.
Tyler Robertson (1-2) was tagged with the loss after yielding two runs -- one earned -- on a pair of walks in one inning of relief work.
The Twins won seven of the first 11 games between the teams in 2012, including two of three in a series in Cleveland from Aug. 6 to 8. The Indians won 11 of 18 games in the season series in 2011.
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