(Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins seem to have hit their stride at the right time. Today, they try to draw even closer in the American League Central, as they go for a three-game sweep over the division-leading Detroit Tigers at the Metrodome.

Minnesota won its season-high sixth straight game and pulled within two games of the Tigers on Saturday, as Michael Cuddyer's three-run blast capped a five- run eighth inning to send the Twins to a 6-2 win.

Jason Kubel drove in two runs and Joe Mauer homered for Minnesota, which has won seven of 10.

Jesse Crain (6-4) got the win with a scoreless eighth inning of relief for Carl Pavano, who yielded 11 hits and two runs with four strikeouts over seven innings.

Miguel Cabrera was 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Tigers, who have dropped three of four. Aubrey Huff also knocked in a run while Placido Polanco collected four hits and scored twice in defeat.

"You want to be playing in games that have implication," said Detroit's Curtis Granderson. "You want every game to be important, and we're in that situation...It'll be the same way all the way until the end of the season. It's going to come down to the last week."

Justin Verlander (16-9) was tagged in the loss for nine hits and five runs over 7 1/3 frames.

Verlander was cruising into the eighth with a one-run lead before things unraveled. Denard Span singled, Orlando Cabrera doubled and a free pass to Mauer loaded the bases with one out.

"(Verlander's) a stud. You got to respect a guy like that who can go out and dominate," Cuddyer said. "He dominated. The line didn't look like it at the end when all was said and done, but he dominated today."

Hoping to get the Twins even closer today will be right-hander Scott Baker, who is 13-8 with a 4.35 earned run average. Baker did not get a decision on Tuesday against Cleveland, as he surrendered three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of his team's 5-4 win.

Although Baker is winless in his last two trips to the hill (0-1), he had won seven straight decisions and was unbeaten in 11 outings before losing to the Toronto Blue Jays on September 10.

Baker has faced the Tigers 14 times and is 4-3 against them with a 4.40 ERA.

Detroit's hopes will rest on the left arm of Nate Robertson, who had been scratched from his previous start because of pelvic inflammation. But, with Jarrod Washburn's knee acting up, Robertson has been called back into action.

Robertson, who is just 1-2 with a 5.35 ERA this season, is 8-10 lifetime against the Twins with a 4.23 ERA in 24 games, 22 of which have been starts.

Minnesota has won nine of 13 from the Tigers this season, including wins in seven of the eight matchups at the Metrodome.



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