David Huff makes his 2011 Indians' debut this afternoon at 1:10 in Minnesota as the Tribe plays the opener of a day/night doubleheader in the Twin Cities.
In the nightcap at 8:10, Fausto Carmona will return from the disabled list to make his first start since being injured in Cincinnati running to first base.
In the opener, Huff, with a career record of 13-19 and an ERA of 5.84, will be asked to end the Indians' two-game slide, but it won't be easy. Huff is 2-5 in his career vs. Minnesota in seven starts, with an ERA of 6.57 in 37 innings.
Huff's opponent in today's first game will be Anthony Swarzak (2-2, 3.37 ERA). Swarzak has faced Cleveland twice in his time in the Majors, going 0-2 with a 12.38 ERA, but in only eight innings of work over two starts.
Swarzak went six innings in his last appearance on July 10 against the White Sox, surrendering only one run and four hits to Chicago while striking out five.
Carmona (4-10, 5.78 ERA) will be making his first appearance since July 2. Fausto has faced Minnesota once this year, taking the loss on April 23 in a 10-3 Twins' win during the Tribe's last visit. In that one Carmona went five innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with four walks and only one K.
Carmona has not fared well vs. the Twins during his career. In 19 previous appearances, including 15 starts, Carmona is 4-9 with a 5.13 ERA in 94.2 career frames against Minnesota.
The Twins will send Scott Diamond in tonight's game. Diamond will be making his Major League debut, and is a 6' 3" left-hander from Canada.
Minnesota languished at 17-37 at one point in the season, but since that low-point, have gone 27-12 to climb right back into the Central Division race. The Twins are currently fourth in the division, but trail the Indians and Tigers by only five games.
The Twins are hitting .249 as a team and are led in homers by Michael Cuddyer with 13, while Danny Valencia leads the squad with 47 RBI.
Minnesota leads the season-series 4-1, after winning two straight in Minnesota and two-of-three in Cleveland earlier this season.
This four-game set in three days will continue on Tuesday evening, before things wrap up with another afternoon game on Wednesday.