The Twins, facing the toughest part of their schedule, had to win Wednesday. Facing the Athletics while the White Sox were beating up on the Mariners, the team did its part, beating the A's 3-1.
Francisco Liriano wasn't great, allowing five hits and three walks, but he was good enough against a weak-hitting Oakland lineup.
Why was this a must-win game? Look at the schedule, then at the standings. The Twins are already a game back of the White Sox and must play four games in Anaheim. They might very well get swept; splitting the series would be a great accomplishment against what appears to be the best team in baseball.
The road trip will be 14 games long. Yikes.
But enough worrying. The Twins swept the Mariners and took two out of three from Oakland at home. They've won 11 consecutive series in the Baggie Dome and are 30-9 there since June 1.
Providing the offense Wednesday were backup catcher Mike Redmond -- Joe Mauer got the day off -- with two RBIs and Justin Morneau with another run batted in. Morneau upped his total to 98, which is very good. If the Twins wind up winning the division, Morneau should get some consideration for MVP.
The AP account of the game says Liriano wasn't sharp, but he allowed only one unearned run. His ERA is down to 4.24, and it's 1.14 since his call-up from the minors.
The Twins have a couple of worries besides the schedule. First, the bullpen has been overworked. If Boof Bonser can pitch the way he has lately, that would help.
Second, Carlos Gomez. His average has slid to .251, and manager Ron Gardenhire had to move him from leadoff to ninth in the lineup. His average is the lowest among the starters by far. He started out well but has faded.
The Twins play four games in Anaheim starting Thursday, and they won't have Liriano during the series. They better bring their A game.
