(Sports Network) - Francisco Liriano is not the same pitcher who faced the Athletics in April. Back to his old form, Liriano will try to lead the Minnesota Twins to a victory against Oakland this afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series at the Metrodome.

Liriano has been outstanding since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester to begin August. He is 3-0 with a 1.45 earned run average in three starts and defeated Seattle on Friday, allowing just two unearned runs on two hits and a pair of walks over seven innings.

The left-hander looks nothing like he did in April, when he made his return after missing all of 2007 due to Tommy John surgery. He made three starts, going 0-3 with an 11.32 ERA before being sent down to the minors. Liriano's final outing in the month came on April 24 in Oakland, where he lasted just two-thirds of an inning after giving up six runs on five hits and three walks.

That outing inflated his career numbers versus the Athletics. In four games (3 starts) lifetime against them, he is 0-2 with a 12.96 ERA.

Liriano will try to follow Kevin Slowey's outstanding outing on Tuesday. After losing the opener, Minnesota rolled to a 13-2 victory, getting seven excellent frames out of Slowey, who fanned a career-high 12 batters.

Brian Buscher went 3-for-4 with a homer and five RBI to highlight Minnesota's big win, while Justin Morneau was 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored. The victory kept the Twins a game back of the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox.

Joe Mauer extended his hitting streak to a career high 12 games with a 1-for-4 effort at the plate. He is hitting .383 (18-for-47) over his run and leads the AL with a .324 average.

Minnesota won despite not having Adam Everett (hand) or Delmon Young (ankle) in the lineup. Both players could also miss today's game, though Alexi Casilla is expected to come off the 15-day disabled list today. The second baseman has been out with a torn ligament in his right thumb since July 29.

Casilla will get a chance to play in front of the home crowd this afternoon, as the Twins wrap up a nine-game homestand before embarking on a season-long 14-game road trip. Minnesota is 6-2 on the residency so far and 45-23 overall as the host, having not dropped a home series since June 3-5 versus Baltimore.

Dallas Braden will try to change that, as the recently-turned 25-year-old starts for Oakland. He beat Detroit on August 8 before earning a no-decision on Friday versus the White Sox, who he held to three runs over seven innings.

The lefty is 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA this year and has never faced Minnesota.

Kurt Suzuki was the lone bright spot in yesterday's loss, as he hit a solo homer for the A's, who have dropped five of seven. Oakland (57-68) will try to avoid falling 12 games under .500 for the first time since June 17, 2005, when it was 27-39.

Oakland is an MLB-worst 6-24 since the All-Star break and has not won back- to-back games since July 10, a span of 32 contests.

Though the A's have won three of five versus the Twins this year, they are just 2-10 over their last 12 at the Metrodome.