(My Sportsbook) - The surging Minnesota Twins aim for their fifth straight win tonight as they begin a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox at the Metrodome.

Minnesota comes into Friday's affair rolling after completing a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and have climbed within three games of the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central.

Kyle Lohse tossed a five-hit shutout as Minnesota blanked Tampa Bay, 5-0, on Thursday. Lohse (3-3) struck out three without walking a batter en route to his second career shutout.

Dustan Mohr finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored for the Twins, who have won four straight and eight of their last nine games. Mohr is riding a seven-game hitting streak, during which he has three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and has scored eight times.

Corey Koskie has nine RBI in his last nine games, while Twins batters have belted out 84 hits in their last seven games.

In place of the injured Rick Reed, the Twins will send lefthanded reliever Johan Santana to the hill on Friday. Santana, who will be making his first start of the year, is 1-0 on the season with a 1.59 ERA in 11 appearances out of the bullpen. The 24-year-old hurler, who started 14 games a year ago for Minnesota, has fanned 29 batters in his 22 2/3 innings of action.

In 23 starts over his career, Santana is 8-8 with a 5.00 ERA.

Santana has faced the BoSox six times in his career--three starts--and is 1-3 against them with a 5.79 ERA. His lone win of the year came against Boston last Friday with a one-run, two-hit, 1 2/3 inning performance in his team's 11-7 victory.

Reed, who is nursing a back injury, is expected to make his next start when his turn in the rotation comes around again.