(Sports Network) - A pair of struggling American League Central clubs conclude a three-game series tonight at Cleveland's Progressive Field, where the Minnesota Twins will try to make it back-to-back wins over the homestanding Indians.

Minnesota finally put the brakes on a season-long six-game losing streak with Wednesday's 8-5 victory over the Tribe. Jason Kubel went 3-for-4 with a two- run homer to pace the Twins offensively, while Justin Morneau finished with two hits and three RBI in the much-needed win.

The Twins battered Cleveland's Paul Byrd (3-6) for six runs (5 earned) on six hits and chased the veteran hurler after just three innings. Nick Blackburn (5-4) was solid on the hill for Minnesota, as the rookie held the Indians to two runs on seven hits and struck out five over six frames.

Grady Sizemore pulled Cleveland within 6-5 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, but an RBI single by Alexi Casilla and Morneau's run-scoring double in the ninth provided the Twins some insurance.

Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll each collected three hits for Cleveland, with Carroll knocking in a run with a double.

The Indians had won two in a row prior to Wednesday's setback, but the disappointing club is just 8-17 since May 16. The defending AL Central champs currently stand in third place in the division standings, 7 1/2 games behind front-running Chicago and two back of second-place Minnesota.

Cleveland will also likely be without Victor Martinez for tonight's tilt. The switch-hitting catcher left last night's game with an inflamed right elbow in the second inning.

The Indians will send one of their few bright spots to the mound in tonight's rubber match. Since being called up from the minors to join the team's injury- plagued rotation in late April, Aaron Laffey has posted an excellent 2.98 earned run average in eight starts and yielded two runs or less in six of those outings.

Laffey rebounded strongly from a poor showing at Texas on June 2 to throw 6 2/3 quality innings in Saturday's no-decision at Detroit. The young lefty gave up just two runs and six hits while walking two batters.

Against the Rangers, Laffey was rocked for a season-high eight runs and 11 hits through five innings but did not get a decision in his team's 13-9 win.

The 23-year-old faced the Twins twice last season and recorded a loss and a no-decision, while surrendering a total of eight runs and 12 hits over 9 1/3 innings.

Livan Hernandez heads to the hill tonight for Minnesota in search of ending a five-start winless streak. The well-traveled right-hander has two losses and three no-decisions during the dry spell, while amassing an ugly 8.16 ERA over that stretch.

Hernandez's struggles continued in Saturday's 11-2 loss at Chicago, in which he was rocked for seven runs and eight hits while lasting just four innings. Five days earlier, the veteran surrendered five runs and 13 hits through six frames in a no-decision against the New York Yankees.

Amazingly, this will be the first regular-season appearance against Cleveland for Hernandez, a 13-year major leaguer with 365 career games pitched to his credit. The 33-year-old did face the Indians twice during the 1997 World Series while a rookie with the Florida Marlins, though.

Hernandez won both his matchups with the Tribe during that year's Fall Classic and had a 5.27 ERA in those games.

Minnesota won two of three tests from the Indians at the Metrodome from April 18-20, but Cleveland is 9-3 over the last 12 meetings between the clubs. The Twins are just 12-19 in Cleveland since 2005 and lost seven of nine games to the Indians as the visitor a year ago.