(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins start the final leg of their lengthy 14-game road trip this evening with the first of three games against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Minnesota, which is tied with the Chicago White Sox for the top spot in the AL Central, is 5-6 thus far on the trek - the team's longest since they played 15 straight away from home in August of 1969.
The Twins managed a split in their four-game set with the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, as Justin Morneau hit a three-run home run and drove in four, lifting Minnesota to a 12-4 win.
Alexi Casilla collected two hits, including a two-run blast, and drove in three runs for Minnesota, while Brian Buscher, Mike Redmond and Denard Span also knocked in a run in the win.
Scott Baker (8-4) picked up his first win since July 26, turning in a solid start by scattering six hits and one run over six innings.
Heading to the hill for the Twins tonight will be 25-year-old lefty Glen Perkins, who has won his last four starts and five straight decisions. Perkins picked up the win on Wednesday against Seattle, as he allowed four runs and eight hits in seven innings, upping his record to 12-3 to go along with a 3.96 ERA.
Perkins faced the Jays for the first time in his young career earlier in the season, but did not get a decision after surrendering two runs and five hits in six innings.
Toronto will counter with a young lefty of its own in 26-year-old David Purcey, who is 2-5 with a 5.53 ERA. Purcey lost his second straight start on Wednesday against the Rays, despite a terrific performance. Purcey gave up just a run and five hits in eight innings of a 1-0 loss.
Purcey, who will be the seventh straight lefty to face the Twins, will be making his first appearance against Minnesota.
The Blue Jays kept their slim playoff hopes alive this weekend, as they took the final two games of their three-game encounter with the New York Yankees. On Sunday, Roy Halladay continued his domination of the Yankees by hurling seven strong innings in a 6-2 win.
Halladay (17-9) allowed just two runs on eight hits to win his fourth straight start for the Blue Jays, who won their second straight game after dropping the previous three. Meanwhile, the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner bested the Yankees for the fourth time in five tries this season.
Scott Rolen had a solo home run for Toronto and Rod Barajas added a two-run double.
Toronto swept a three-game series from the Twins back in May and has won six straight in the series dating back to last season.
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