The Twins won last night 7-4 against Texas, the first game of a four game series. This is the fifth time this year that the Twins have played a four game series. In the previous four, they have lost 3 of 4 each time. If they hold form, the Twins will lose each of the next three nights. I am optimistic, however, that this will not happen.

The Twins' starters for the next three games are Carlos Silva, Kyle Lohse, and Terry Mulholland. It is not inconceivable that these three guys could all come up small, but I think the Twins can get one or maybe two of these games.

Carlos Silva has been dreadful in August. In four starts, he has pitched 23 innings, allowed 34 hits and 5 walks (1.69 WHIP). He's also allowed 16 earned runs, a nifty 6.26 ERA. Included in that total is the "nifty" 11-hit shutout he threw against Anaheim, a game in which the Twins turned a mind boggling six double plays. Thus, in his last three starts he has given up 16 earnies in just 14 innings. Yuk. However, the Texas Rangers are running out Chris Young, who is making his major league debut. Young is the first player from Princeton to start a major league game since Dave Sisler of the Washington Senators in 1961. He's a 25 year old 6-10 right hander. Oh yeah, did I say he's making his major league debut?

Lohse, likewise has been pretty much putrid in August. He's 2-2 with a 5.33 ERA in August. Actually, Lohse's numbers in August pretty much reflect his entire season. For the season he is a hugely disappointing 6-10 5.23. Lohse has had two quality starts in August, including last time, when he allowed 1 run over seven innings in the first game of last weekend's Cleveland series. Lohse is facing Ryan Drese, who is having an outstanding year. Unless Lohse is having a great game, the Twins are likely in trouble here.

Mulholland, the ageless wonder, is facing someone named Mickey Calloway. "The Mick" is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in 11.1 innings. Mickey has a WHIP of 2.21. Mulholland struggled at the beginning of August, but has had two nice performances in a row after an excellent July. I like our chances here.

Last night was, delightfully, more of the same. With the Twins winning and the Indians and White Sox losing, the inevitability of a third straight division championship is ever more apparent.

Santana was routinely brilliant, allowing only one run on four hits in eight innings. The Twins also got a nice offensive effort, with seven runs, including two home runs. Shannon Stewart lead off the game with a home run, the second consecutive time he's done that while Santana was pitching. Henry Blanco impersonated a major league hitter with a home run and an RBI double to raise his average to .203. Cristian Guzman even took a walk! For the month, the Twins are 12-9, and they are averaging 5.05 runs per game.

Jeremy Bonderman, who lost 19 games last year, threw a seven hit shutout last night, walking just one and striking out 14. The Tigers have now won 59 games this year, already 16 more than last year. They are now just two games behind the Chicago White Sox. Oh yeah, Bonderman and the Tigers beat the White Sox 7-0 last night. I just love that. On July 24th, the White Sox moved into first place in the AL Central. Since then, they have gone 8-20. Any day now, I expect someone from the White Sox to announce that they are still a better team than the Twins. I know that the White Sox have lost Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordonez to injury. However, the Twins played without Shannon Stewart for most of the first half and without Joe Mauer for virtually all of the season. The White Sox have also gotten a nice bounce back year from Paul Konerko (.276/.361/.537 with 31 HRs) and have outscored their opponents 645-606. Yet, they are two games under .500. The only way to explain the White Sox is that they are chronic underachievers.