Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays major league baseball live stream video telecast 360 ESPN gamecast radio commentary April 03, 2011Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have been shut down in the Minnesota Twins' first two games. They might not find things easier against Brett Cecil.
Cecil has never given up a hit to the Twins' stars and will try to help the Toronto Blue Jays complete a three-game home sweep Sunday.
Toronto is in position to start 3-0 for the first time since 1996 after limiting Mauer and Morneau to one hit in the first two games at Rogers Centre. The duo is 1 for 13 in the series, going hitless in five at-bats in a 6-1 loss Saturday.
Mauer and Morneau have combined to go 0 for 9 against Cecil, who went 15-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 starts for Toronto last season. Cecil is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota.
The left-hander went 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in six Grapefruit League starts. Cecil felt his velocity was down after being clocked in the high 80s while he normally throws above 90 mph.
Gameday Lineups
NO. Minnesota Toronto
1. D. Span, CF Y. Escobar, SS
2. T. Nishioka, 2B J. Rivera, DH
3. D. Young, LF J. Bautista, RF
4. J. Morneau, DH A. Lind, 1B
5. M. Cuddyer, 1B A. Hill, 2B
6. J. Kubel, RF E. Encarnacion, 3B
7. D. Valencia, 3B T. Snider, LF
8. D. Butera, C J. Arencibia, C
9. M. Tolbert, SS M. McCoy, CF
1:07 PM ET, April 3, 2011
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have been shut down in the Minnesota Twins' first two games. They might not find things easier against Brett Cecil.
Cecil has never given up a hit to the Twins' stars and will try to help the Toronto Blue Jays complete a three-game home sweep Sunday.
Toronto is in position to start 3-0 for the first time since 1996 after limiting Mauer and Morneau to one hit in the first two games at Rogers Centre. The duo is 1 for 13 in the series, going hitless in five at-bats in a 6-1 loss Saturday.
Mauer and Morneau have combined to go 0 for 9 against Cecil, who went 15-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 starts for Toronto last season. Cecil is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota.
The left-hander went 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in six Grapefruit League starts. Cecil felt his velocity was down after being clocked in the high 80s while he normally throws above 90 mph.
He's 5-0 with a 3.67 ERA in his last seven home starts.
The Twins are trying to avoid starting 0-3 for the first time since 1981 and will be happy to see a starter other than Kyle Drabek. Drabek struck out seven and gave up one run and one hit over seven innings Saturday.
"Definitely a tough day," said Twins center fielder Denard Span, who has three hits in the series. "Nobody put the bat on the ball good off this guy."
Jim Thome made his 2011 debut against the right-handed Drabek. Manager Ron Gardenhire has a decision to make Sunday at designated hitter versus Cecil after using Jason Kubel in Friday's 13-3 loss against left-hander Ricky Romero.
"It's fun just to have Thome in the lineup," Gardenhire told the Twins' official website. "But ... I have to take Kubel out (when) I'd like to have him whack it, too. But someone has to sit to get Thome in there."
Morneau is 0 for 6 to drop to .205 in his career at Toronto, where he said he felt pressure in the past in his returns to his native Canada. These are his first games since he suffered a concussion at Rogers Centre last July 7.
The Blue Jays have homered six times in the series. Catcher J.P. Arencibia hit two on Friday before he was replaced in the lineup Saturday by Jose Molina, who went deep off Francisco Liriano.
Liriano and opening day starter Carl Pavano each failed to get out of the fifth inning, forcing Minnesota's bullpen to log 7 2/3 innings.
"That's not our plan," Gardenhire said. "We're already running guys out there back to back. That's too many pitches from our bullpen and not enough from our starters."
Nick Blackburn will try to pitch deep into his 2011 debut. Blackburn went 10-12 with a 5.42 ERA in 2010, but he posted a 3.05 ERA in his final eight starts after a stint in the minors.
The right-hander is 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in two career outings against Toronto. Outfielder Rajai Davis is 4 for 11 against him.
Davis, however, was scratched from Saturday's lineup after rolling his right ankle while evading a rundown in the first inning Friday. Mike McCoy went 2 for 4 in his place.
Cecil has never given up a hit to the Twins' stars and will try to help the Toronto Blue Jays complete a three-game home sweep Sunday.
Toronto is in position to start 3-0 for the first time since 1996 after limiting Mauer and Morneau to one hit in the first two games at Rogers Centre. The duo is 1 for 13 in the series, going hitless in five at-bats in a 6-1 loss Saturday.
Mauer and Morneau have combined to go 0 for 9 against Cecil, who went 15-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 starts for Toronto last season. Cecil is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota.
The left-hander went 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in six Grapefruit League starts. Cecil felt his velocity was down after being clocked in the high 80s while he normally throws above 90 mph.
NO. Minnesota Toronto
1. D. Span, CF Y. Escobar, SS
2. T. Nishioka, 2B J. Rivera, DH
3. D. Young, LF J. Bautista, RF
4. J. Morneau, DH A. Lind, 1B
5. M. Cuddyer, 1B A. Hill, 2B
6. J. Kubel, RF E. Encarnacion, 3B
7. D. Valencia, 3B T. Snider, LF
8. D. Butera, C J. Arencibia, C
9. M. Tolbert, SS M. McCoy, CF
1:07 PM ET, April 3, 2011
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Cecil has never given up a hit to the Twins' stars and will try to help the Toronto Blue Jays complete a three-game home sweep Sunday.
Toronto is in position to start 3-0 for the first time since 1996 after limiting Mauer and Morneau to one hit in the first two games at Rogers Centre. The duo is 1 for 13 in the series, going hitless in five at-bats in a 6-1 loss Saturday.
Mauer and Morneau have combined to go 0 for 9 against Cecil, who went 15-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 starts for Toronto last season. Cecil is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota.
The left-hander went 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in six Grapefruit League starts. Cecil felt his velocity was down after being clocked in the high 80s while he normally throws above 90 mph.
He's 5-0 with a 3.67 ERA in his last seven home starts.
The Twins are trying to avoid starting 0-3 for the first time since 1981 and will be happy to see a starter other than Kyle Drabek. Drabek struck out seven and gave up one run and one hit over seven innings Saturday.
"Definitely a tough day," said Twins center fielder Denard Span, who has three hits in the series. "Nobody put the bat on the ball good off this guy."
Jim Thome made his 2011 debut against the right-handed Drabek. Manager Ron Gardenhire has a decision to make Sunday at designated hitter versus Cecil after using Jason Kubel in Friday's 13-3 loss against left-hander Ricky Romero.
"It's fun just to have Thome in the lineup," Gardenhire told the Twins' official website. "But ... I have to take Kubel out (when) I'd like to have him whack it, too. But someone has to sit to get Thome in there."
Morneau is 0 for 6 to drop to .205 in his career at Toronto, where he said he felt pressure in the past in his returns to his native Canada. These are his first games since he suffered a concussion at Rogers Centre last July 7.
The Blue Jays have homered six times in the series. Catcher J.P. Arencibia hit two on Friday before he was replaced in the lineup Saturday by Jose Molina, who went deep off Francisco Liriano.
Liriano and opening day starter Carl Pavano each failed to get out of the fifth inning, forcing Minnesota's bullpen to log 7 2/3 innings.
"That's not our plan," Gardenhire said. "We're already running guys out there back to back. That's too many pitches from our bullpen and not enough from our starters."
Nick Blackburn will try to pitch deep into his 2011 debut. Blackburn went 10-12 with a 5.42 ERA in 2010, but he posted a 3.05 ERA in his final eight starts after a stint in the minors.
The right-hander is 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in two career outings against Toronto. Outfielder Rajai Davis is 4 for 11 against him.
Davis, however, was scratched from Saturday's lineup after rolling his right ankle while evading a rundown in the first inning Friday. Mike McCoy went 2 for 4 in his place.
