Tonight's pitchers: Guthrie vs. Blackburn

RHP Jeremy Guthrie (8-12, 5.45) tonight will make his 26th start of the season, his 13th on the road and the 2nd of his career vs. Minnesota. Guthrie picked up his 8th win Friday at Chicago when he gave up just one run and six hits over seven innings. In his previous two starts, he had given up 12ER over 10 1/3 frames. Guthrie, 2009 season: First half: 6-8, 5.35 in 18 starts Second half: 2-4, 5.67 in 7 starts Guthrie leads the AL in allowing 89 earned runs this year and in homers allowed with 29. He is in a four-way tie for the AL lead with 12 losses. Right-handed hitters are batting .262 vs. Guthrie while lefties bat .298. In 12 road starts, he is 4-6, 5.60. Guthrie vs. Minnesota: 2009: 0 appearances Career: 0-0, 3.75, three games, one start (12IP, 18H, 3B, 3K) RHP Nick Blackburn (8-8, 4.27) tonight makes his 26th start, his 12th at home and his 2nd in his career vs. Baltimore. Blackburn is tied for second in the AL in hits allowed with 186 in 156 innings on the year. He has given up 19 homers. Blackburn has not picked up a win since July 10th vs. the White Sox. In seven starts since, he is 0-4, 8.82. In 32 2/3 innings in those starts, he has given up 57 hits, including 9 homers and a batting average against of .385. Right-handed batters hit .281 off Blackburn while lefties bat .305. In 11 home starts, he is 5-2, 4.10. Blackburn, a 29th-round draft pick in 2001, has made just one career start vs. the Orioles. On September 14, 2008 he gave up six runs and nine hits over four innings. He gave up four homers in that game - two to Oscar Salazar and one each to Lou Montanez and Nick Markakis.