The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Season Record: 27-28

Up Next: Seattle (9:10 CT, 6/5)

Jason Kubel ended his 0-17 slump at the plate on Wednesday night, and a day later he made sure it was over for good. With a run already in and two on in the bottom of the first, Kubel hit his sixth homerun of the season to give the Twins a comfortable lead early. The very next inning, in the same exact situation, Kubel launched his seventh homerun of the season over the right field wall to give the Twins a 7-0 lead after only two innings. The Twins never looked back, and behind a career outing for starter Scott Baker, the Twins took the series and the game, 11-3.

Kubel wasn't the only player that showed off his power; Justin Morneau hit a two-run homerun to give him 15 homeruns and 50 RBI on the season, and Denard Span hit his fourth homerun of the season. The top four hitters for the Twins, consisting of Span, Joe Mauer, Morneau, and Kubel, went a combined 10-15 with four homeruns, 10 RBI, and 11 runs scored. The rest of the lineup  went a combined 3-21 with one RBI.

The early lead was all starter Scott Baker needed, and the righty lasted seven strong innings behind the big performance. Baker took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, and had a career day with 10 strikeouts. In the seven inning outing, Baker allowed only six hits and two earned runs to advance to 3-6 on the season and lower his ERA below 6.00.

The victory for the Twins moved them one game closer to the .500 mark at 27-28, but the win was much more important that just that. The Twins will head on a 10-day road trip that will make stops in Seattle, Oakland, and Chicago. At only 6-16 away from home this season it'll be a trying time for the team. The weeks ahead, in which the Twins will play 19 of 25 games on the road, could determine whether the 'Boys of Summer' are contenders or pretenders. 

(AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

Season Record: 25-27

Up Next: Indians (7:10 CT, 6/2)

1. Blackburn Keeps Rolling

After entering spring training as a bottom-of-the-rotation pitcher, starter Nick Blackburn made the second start of the season for the Twins and has been one of the team's top starters after two months of play. As the Twins prepared to end their short three-game road trip in Florida, Blackburn was the perfect pitcher to turn to for Minnesota - a team desperately looking for a road victory. 

In a game that turned into a pitcher's duel between Blackburn and former Twin Matt Garza, it was the second-year pro Blackburn who won the battle. Blackburn lasted six innings, allowed seven hits and only two solo homeruns to pick up the victory. The win upped Blackburn's record to 5-2 on the season and gave him a team-best 3.50 ERA. 

Only two months ago many viewed Blackburn as the team's fifth starter; those viewpoints have without a doubt changed with Blackburn's recent outings. He's turned into a reliable pitcher for Minnesota both at the Dome and on the road. 

2. The Bullpen Did What?

More than anything else, the bullpen for the Twins has become known for blowing games rather than finishing them. While the bullpen has struggled frequently to hold leads dating back to last season, over the past two weeks the relievers have become more reliable. Jose Mijares and Matt Guerrier have both been counted on in tight situations, and both have given the Twins better outings.

It was Sean Henn who collected the first out in the seventh inning for the Twins, and Matt Guerrier who got the second two. Jose Mijares lowered his ERA to a bullpen-best 2.16 for the season with a one-hit eighth inning, and Joe Nathan collected his ninth save of the season and third of the week with a quick one-two-three ninth.

There are still times of doubt when the bullpen takes over in close games, but they have become more trustable than they've been in more than a year.  

3. Winning on the Road

For the most part, no team dominates their road schedule. Most playoff teams and contenders however are often close to, or slightly better than .500 away from their home park. In every season but one in which the Twins have made the playoffs since 1987 they've been been right at .500 or above the mark away from the Metrodome. 

This season through the month of May, the Twins sit at 6-17 away from the Metrodome. At home things have been just fine; the Twins are 19-11 in front of their own fans. On the road the offense has struggled to collect clutch hits, and their numbers with runners in scoring position prove it. In their four-game series with the Yankees, the Twins went a combined 4-38 when with runners in scoring position. In the the trip to Florida they went 3-28.

Winning 50 games at home, an amount the Twins have traditionally collected when they've made the playoffs, and going .500 on the road, would give the Twins 90 victories - almost certainly enough to win the American League Central. It's easier said than done however, and with 18 of their 27 June games on the road, the Twins will be forced to win or fall behind.