Interleague play resumes this weekend, with the National League so far having held their own against the Junior Circuit, leading 22-20 in the games played so far. Will that change this weekend, in the face of such heady rivalries as the Yankees taking on the Astros? Or perhaps you would prefer the white-hot intensity of a Blue Jays-Rockies series.
Interleague Play Once More: Braves @ Twins Preview
All snark aside, the most intriguing match-up pits the leaders of the NL East, the Atlanta Braves, against the leaders of the AL Central, the Minnesota Twins. Both teams have nearly identical records, having each won 36 times, but the visiting Braves are probably hotter, having gone 22-8 since May 9, to surge from last-place in their division, six games back, to first with a 2.5 game lead.
It’s been the offense which has driven things for Atlanta; they’ve scored more runs than anyone else in the NL in the past 28 days, averaging 5.62 runs per game - the Reds are the only other team even at five over the same period. Troy Glaus was the NL Player of the Month for May, batting .330 with 28 runs driven in, while Martin Prado has also continued his solid offensive production, and his .326 average for the season ranks third in the league.
Talking Chop reckons the Twins are similar to the Braves, citing their “good, OBP-driven offense, a deep starting rotation that doesn’t strike out many guys, and an excellent bullpen.” While Minnesota is 4.5 up in the Central, that’s the same as it was at the end of May, and they are only 4-5 this month. They scored only three runs in getting swept by Seattle to open June, but have come back since, taking series against the Athletics and Royals.
Tonight’s pitching match-up is particularly exciting, with each team sending out their ace. The Braves have Tim Hudson, who really deserves better than six wins in his dozen starts, given his ERA is only 2.44. The Twins counter with Francisco Liriano, whose 3.10 ERA also leads his team. As Twinkie Town points out, Liriano has owned the NL with a 7-1 interleague record and a 2.67 ERA. It certainly has the makings of an entertaining series.
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