Coming off a 5-2 road trip, the Twins will try to continue building momentum tonight against Baltimore, a team that hadn’t won a series since the All-Star break before taking two of three from the White Sox in Chicago this weekend.

This has the potential to be another trap for the Twins, much like their last homestand, when they dropped two of three to both Cleveland and Kansas City. Like those teams, the Orioles are dangerous because they have nothing to lose as they try gaining experience for 2010 and beyond.

Under former Twins GM Andy MacPhail, the Orioles are retooling with some promising young pitchers, and the Twins will see two of them the next two nights:

TONIGHT
RH Chris Tillman
Stats: 1-1, 4.80 ERA. Age: 21
The Orioles got him from Seattle as part of their heist for LHP Erik Bedard. That package included All-Star CF Adam Jones and LHP George Sherrill, who has since been dealt to the Dodgers. This will be Tillman’s sixth major league start. He is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in his past three starts and has held opponents to a .250 batting average in those three.

TUESDAY
LH Brian Matusz
Stats: 2-2, 6.75 ERA. Age: 22
When we were stressing the importance of the Twins signing first-round pick Kyle Gibson last week, we pointed to Matusz, who pitched for the University of San Diego last year before the Orioles took him with their first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in the 2008 draft. This will be Matusz’s fifth major league start. Though he has given up his share of runs already, the 20 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings speaks to his top-of-the-rotation potential. Righthanders are batting .419 against him, and lefties .000 (0-for-8).

Note: Check back here later this afternoon for tonight’s starting lineups and pregame notes.

The Twins signed first-round draft pick Kyle Gibson to a $1.85 million signing bonus tonight, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

The sides were facing an 11 p.m., deadline and worked into the final hour.

“This thing got done because the kid and the family wanted to get it done,” said Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony, who handled the final negotiations for the Twins.

Note: The official signing bonus is for $1.85 million. Will have more detail in our late editions.

The Twins are lucky the PGA Championship was in Chaska while they were fumbling through a 2-4 homestand against KC and Cleveland. This kept most of the Twin Cities sports media too busy to compile their baseball obituaries. Had Patrick Reusse been at the Metrodome, instead of Hazeltine National, it’s a good bet we would have heard his trademark sign off, “See you in Fort Myers.”

Is it really over? Longtime readers know I’m a glass-is-half-full kind of guy. The Tigers and White Sox continue to give the Twins hope with their own failings. Can you believe, for example, the Tigers have been worse on the road (24-36) than the Twins (23-34)? I’m not saying the Twins can win it, but I believe they can make September interesting.

“We have time to turn things around,” closer Joe Nathan said. “This isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. We’re going to have to bust our butts to get out of this funk. But at the same time, one game can turn a lot of guys’ confidence around. We’re looking for that spark, something to kind of rejuvenate us and get us on track and build some confidence in this clubhouse.”

What will it take?

“Usually it’s those games where you battle back and have a huge comeback win,” Nathan said. “That usually fires up a team, gets them on a run. Hopefully we have something in mind on this road trip [to Texas and KC], we’ll see.”

GIBSON SITUATION

Nobody should be surprised the Twins have pushed their negotiations with first-round pick Kyle Gibson close to today’s 11 p.m., deadline. But I was surprised to learn last evening that the sides remained at least $1 million apart, with one participant describing the talks as “chilly.”

This is the kind of story that won’t draw much attention unless the Twins come up empty tonight. Much can change today, of course, and my guess is the talks will thaw, with the sides reaching an 11th-hour deal.

STRANGE, BUT TRUE

With the Twins opening a four-game series at Texas tonight, here are two items I wrote about Sunday but still can’t quite believe.

(*) Nathan’s last save chance was July 29. I have triple-checked it, and it’s true. The Twins are 4-11 since then, and their wins have been by these scores: 10-1 (at Cleveland), 11-0 (at Detroit), 7-1 (vs. KC), 11-0 (vs. Cleveland).

(*) Rangers phenom Neftali Feliz, 21, has made five relief appearances, displaying a 98-mph fastball and impeccable control. In 8 2/3 innings, he has allowed two hits, with 16 strikeouts and no walks. This doesn’t bode well for Nathan’s comeback victory hopes if and when the Twins fall behind this week.

Note: La Velle is covering the road trip, so check his blog for updates.

The Twins are 2-3 on this homestand against Kansas City and Cleveland, which is disappointing, no matter how they look at it.

Today, they can at least win a series against the Indians before flying to Texas, where they’ll begin a four-game series on Monday.

Manager Ron Gardenhire checked with Joe Mauer, who agreed to catch again today, allowing Jason Kubel to return as the DH.

No decision has been made regarding Anthony Swarzak’s place in the rotation. Brian Duensing could take his place. Gardenhire said he wanted to look at some of the right/left numbers from the Texas hitters, and he’ll meet with pitching coach Rick Anderson before making a decision.

Big start for Nick Blackburn today, and he hopes a mechanical adjustment will help him, as La Velle notes here.

Before Tuesday’s clunker against KC, Blackburn seemed almost unbeatable at the Metrodome, where he is 13-4 with a 3.15 ERA for his career.

If you’re trying to figure out what’s made Cleveland lefty Aaron Laffey so successful start with this: He has allowed just two home runs this season in 72 innings.

Update: Alexi Casilla’s left foot feels better today, so he’s available off the bench, but Nick Punto is getting the start at second base.

Also, the Twins continue to talk with first-round draft pick Kyle Gibson, but he remains unsigned. The deadline to get it done is Monday at 11 p.m.

INDIANS (50-66)

1. Grady Sizemore, CF
2. Jamey Carroll, RF
3. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
4. Shin-Soo Choo, LF
5. Jhonny Peralta, 3B
6. Travis Hafner, DH
7. Kelly Shoppach, C
8. Luis Valbuena, 2B
9. Andy Marte, 1B

Starting pitcher: LH Aaron Laffey (6-3, 3.25 ERA)

TWINS (56-60)

1. Denard Span, CF
2. Orlando Cabrera, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Jason Kubel, DH
6. Michael Cuddyer, RF
7. Joe Crede, 3B
8. Delmon Young, LF
9. Nick Punto, 2B

Starting pitcher: RH Nick Blackburn (8-7, 3.99 ERA)

Metrodome. First pitch: 1:10 p.m. TV: Ch. 29

A veteran Twin Cities radio reporter watched the Twins defeat Cleveland 11-0 tonight and figured the lads might view this as a potential springboard.

Of course, they’d heard it all before. This was their third victory by an 11-0 score this season, and the eighth by eight or more runs. Yet they are 56-59, and their longest winning streak is still four games.

Undeterred, the man with the microphone sounded hopeful just asking. Could this be the one that triggers a five- or six-game burst?

“I sure hope so,” Jason Kubel said. “We’ve got to come out [tomorrow] with the same intensity and try to take it to them again.”

But did this win at least remind them of what’s possible? (OK, that question came from me.)

“We know we’re going to score some runs,” Scott Baker said. “We probably need to pitch a little better, and we’ve got all the pieces. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be right there in the end.”

We shall see. Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher, and the Twins will send rookie Anthony Swarzak to the mound Saturday at 3:10 p.m., opposite Cleveland lefty David Huff.

Swarzak has shown he’s capable of delivering in big moments, but he’s had five shaky starts, too, including his last one, Aug. 7 at Detroit. This will be another good test.

Note: Check La Velle’s blog for Saturday’s starting lineups.