Bartolo Colon allows 4 runs, K's 5 in start for Twins' Triple-A team

Bartolo Colon gave up four runs and four hits, walked two and struck out five in 3 innings Thursday in a Triple-A start for the Rochester Red Wings against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The 44-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Twins on July 7 after being designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves on June 29.

Colon, who had gone to Atlanta on a one-year, $12.5 million deal in the offseason, was designated for assignment after going 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts for the Braves.

Last season with the Mets, Colon was 15-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 33 starts. The Twins are hoping he might be able to strengthen the back of their starting rotation. One of the American League's surprise teams this season, Minnesota has had a shaky rotation outside of Ervin Santana (10-6) and Jose Berrios (8-2).

According to 1500ESPN Twin Cities, the growing speculation has been that if the Twins were satisfied with Colon's outing Thursday -- he threw 50 of his 76 pitches for strikes -- he would get the start Tuesday against the Yankees.

Minnesota would be his 10th major league team in a 20-year career.

Colon's successful run with the Mets helped affirm his status as one of the game's most durable and popular players. He began his career with Cleveland in 1997 and won the AL Cy Young Award with the Angels in 2005. He is a four-time All-Star, most recently with the Mets last season.

The IronPigs celebrated his start by offering a "Big Sexy Sandwich," which included pork, bacon, salami, cheddar cheese, cabbage and tomato.