(Best E Casino) - The Minnesota Twins take aim at their fifth straight win this evening when they start a four-game series with the New York Yankees at the Metrodome.

The Twins completed a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, as Kevin Slowey came within one out of a shutout and Carlos Gomez had four hits and two runs batted in for Minnesota in a 5-1 win. Alexi Casilla went 3- for-4 with a double and Joe Mauer had two hits and an RBI for the Twins, who have won five of six and seven of their last 10 games.

Slowey (2-4) picked up his first career complete game, but allowed one run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tarnish his gem. Still, he scattered six hits, fanned six and walked none.

Hoping to extend the winning streak for the Twins tonight will be left-hander Glen Perkins, who has won his last two starts. Perkins had the finest outing of his career on Sunday against the Tigers, as he held them to one run and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings to run his record to 2-1 on the year, while lowering his earned run average to 2.77.

Perkins has never faced the Yankees.

New York will counter with veteran righty Mike Mussina, who is 7-4 with a 4.39 ERA. Mussina picked up the sixth win in his last seven starts on Saturday against Seattle, but was not sharp, as he surrendered four runs and seven hits in five innings.

Mussina won 20 of his first 22 decisions against the Twins, but is 0-4 in his last six starts against them, while pitching to a 5.58 ERA.

The Yankees come into tonight's contest after dropping two of three to the Baltimore Orioles. New York managed to salvage the finale of the set on Wednesday, as Jason Giambi homered and drove in two runs, lifting the Yanks to a 4-2 win at Camden Yards.

Johnny Damon went 3-for-5 with one run batted in and Derek Jeter added an RBI for the Yankees, who have won six of eight.

Andy Pettitte (5-5) went 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing eight hits and two runs with three strikeouts and one walk. The veteran lefty has won two straight starts after going winless in his previous five.

Over his last five games Giambi is 9-for-18 with three homers and six RBI. Jeter, though, has just three hits in his last 10 contests.

New York won five of its seven meetings with the Twins a year ago after the teams split the six-game series the two previous seasons.