Minnesota has been among baseball's most productive clubs this season, having little issue scoring against virtually every opponent - except the Detroit Tigers.
Detroit shut down the Twins in Tuesday's series opener and will look to do so again Wednesday night at Comerica Park behind Kyle Lobstein (6 p.m. pregame, 7:08 first pitch on FOX Sports Detroit).
Minnesota (18-15) had won nine of 11, going 42 for 122 (.344) with runners in scoring position and tallying six or more runs seven times. The Twins were 0 for 8 in those situations in a 2-1, 10-inning loss Tuesday, however, only getting a sacrifice fly from Torii Hunter.
They're averaging 2.3 runs while dropping six of seven meetings with Detroit, compared to 5.2 runs per game and a 17-9 record against other teams.
Minnesota was limited to six hits into the eighth inning against Alfredo Simon on Tuesday.
"(Alfredo) Simon was tough, but we had some opportunities against him and we just didn't get the kind of at-bats that we've had with runners in scoring position lately," manager Paul Molitor said.
The Tigers (20-13) haven't exactly been electric on offense recently, scoring five runs in their last three games. They dropped four of six prior to Tuesday's victory.
Anthony Gose, who scored the winning run on Ian Kinsler's single, is 12 for 29 with four doubles over his last seven games after a 2-for-4 performance. Kinsler had his fifth multihit game in his last eight games against Minnesota.
J.D. Martinez continued to hurt the Twins with his seventh homer of the season and is batting .364 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 17 matchups.
Minnesota is hoping this matchup with Lobstein (3-2, 3.00 ERA) is similar to the first. The Twins reached him for six runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 12-3 win on Sept. 27.
The left-hander is coming off maybe his best outing ever, though. He threw a personal-best 7 2-3 innings while not surrendering an earned run for the first time in his career in Thursday's 4-1 win against the Chicago White Sox.
"He was outstanding," manager Brad Ausmus said.
Lobstein only has 15 strikeouts in 33 innings but his 58.3 groundball percentage is one of the highest in the AL.
Minnesota's Ricky Nolasco (2-1, 9.00) hasn't been any better since taking a month off to let elbow inflammation subside, at least not in the way of results. He has given up seven runs over 10 innings in two starts since returning, though the Twins backed him with 11 runs of support to help him win both.
He needed 94 pitches to get through five innings in a 6-5 win over Oakland on Thursday.
"I have a lot of hope for him," Molitor said. "I think he got set back with the inflammation in the elbow. He had a really good spring and I think he's motivated to do well. He's still kind of trying to find that groove."
Nolasco's lone loss was an 11-0 defeat at Detroit on April 8. He gave up six runs and walked four in three-plus innings after giving up a total of five runs in his three previous matchups.
Kinsler is 6 for 14 against Nolasco with three doubles.
