Minneapolis, MN (My Sportsbook) - With little to prove, the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins begin the final week of the season tonight against the Cleveland Indians at the Metrodome.

Minnesota has already nailed down the division title and knows that it will be facing the West champion in the first round of the playoffs. The Twins have lost their last three contests since putting it in neutral.

Minnesota dropped an 8-2 decision to Chicago on Sunday to continue their skid. Dustan Mohr went 3-for-5, while Luis Rivas, Mike Restovich and Matthew LeCroy each added a pair of hits for the Twins.

Joe Mays (4-8) was saddled with the loss after being roughed up for seven runs Joe Mays (4-8) was saddled with the loss after being roughed up for seven runs on seven hits in just four innings of work. He walked two and did not strike out a batter.

Cleveland, which has been well out of the playoff race since July, has won four of its last six overall. The Indians posted a 6-5 win over Kansas City on Sunday to keep their solid play alive.

Karim Garcia's two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning lifted the Indians to the win. Ellis Burks and Omar Vizquel each had a solo homer for the Indians, who took two of the three games in the series. Vizquel's 14 homers are a career high and are the most by a Cleveland shortstop since Woodie Held hit 19 in 1962.

C.C. Sabathia (12-11) posted the win, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked one. Danys Baez surrendered a run in the ninth, but held on for his sixth save of the year.

The Indians will send young Ricardo Rodriguez to the hill this evening. Rodriguez has split his last four decisions, including a loss to Boston last week. The 24-year-old allowed five hits and three runs over four innings en route to the defeat against the Red Sox. He walked and fanned three in the losing effort.

Rodriguez will be facing the Twins for the first time in his career. The Dominican hurler hasn't been at his best on the road, going 1-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two outings.

Minnesota will reply by handing Eric Milton the ball this evening. Milton has lost two straight starts and hasn't won since August 1. The lefthander was hammered for eight hits and nine runs over just 1 2/3 frames against Cleveland 11 days ago. He walked and struck out one in the defeat.

Milton has struggled badly against the Indians this year, going 0-3 with a 17.74 ERA. The veteran is 5-6 with a 6.62 ERA in his career versus Cleveland.

Minnesota leads the season series, 9-7, with the Indians. However, the Indians are 21-14 against the Twins since the start of the 2001 campaign.