It's hard to imagine how Sunday could've gone better than it did for the Twins.

With a win over the Indians, 6-2, and a White Sox loss, the Twins are in first place for the first time in what seems like forever.

That's not all. Francisco Liriano had a terrific return to the major leagues, allowing three hits and no runs in six innings. (One could ask why the Twins waited so long -- Livan Hernandez, who was designated for assignment, has had some awful starts lately. He lost the only game vs. the White Sox recentlly, and had a bad outing against the Indians that resulted in a loss.)

The Twins have not been a great power team, but Denard Span and Brendan Harris went deep Sunday. Span is hitting .315 and has been great in the field.

If you look at team batting averages, you see one great asset: There's no real weak spot in the lineup. Span's done so well he's now leading off. Nick Punto, .284. Mike Redmond, replacing Joe Mauer for a day, is hitting .270. Justin Morneau, at DH on Sunday. didn't have a hit or an RBI but is still hitting .313. Jason Kubel, in left Sunday, .260. (Delmon Young, the usual left fielder, is hitting .293.)

Continue reading "Twins in first place after beating Indians"

Finally the Twins grabbed a lead in Seattle they could keep, thanks to rookie Denard Span.

This game was pretty much all about Span. He was three for five with four RBIs and caught a ball that would have gone yard and given the Mariners the lead.

Span, who was in triple A five weeks ago and has played in only 44 games, appears to have job security. He's hitting .315 and has a secure hold on the leadoff spot. He's been playing great defense.

The Twins pitching was shaky in this series. Nick Blackburn allowed only three runs in six innings, and for once the bullpen gave up no runs -- thanks to Span.

Some relative unknowns played well for the Twins. Backup catcher Mike Redmond was two for five. Recent call-up Randy Ruiz went two for five with two runs. Brendan Harris, who has been swinging a hot bat lately and upped his average to .268, was two for four with two runs and two RBIs.

Continue reading "Twins salvage final game in Seattle"

A great followed just a day after a terrible loss.

On Sunday the Twins kicked away a game it appeared to have in hand, and loss in extra innings, 5-4 to the inept Royals.

On Monday, new father Glen Perkins pitched one of the best games of his life and the Twins shut out the Yankees, 4-0. It was the first time the team had shut out the Yankees at the Metrodome since June 24, 1996.

What made it even better was that Adam Everett, who made an error Sunday that cost the Twins the game, hit a two-run homer against the Yankees.

And, to complete the circle of good news, the White Sox lost, so the Twins are in first place. At least for a day.

This game was all about great pitching.

Perkins (9-3) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out four. He induced two inning-ending double plays and got a standing ovation when he left after the eighth. Joe Nathan struck out Bobby Abreu, Alex Rodriguez and Xavier Nady in the ninth for the exclamation mark to a great win.

Continue reading "Huge win for Twins propels them into first"

After the way the Twins lost Tuesday, you had to wonder if they would end up demoralized against the Yankees, who have always manhandled them.

Nope. The Twins got a great start from Kevin Slowey, and Delmon Young's three-run jack was the difference in the team's 4-2 win.

Slowey allowed only three hits and one run in six innings, and the bullpen finished it off. Joe Nathan earned his 32nd save in 34 chances. Nathan, who has an ERA of 1.05.

Can that number be right? Yup. He's been the rock who's stabilized a shaky pen that was hard-hit by the season-ending injury of Pat Neshek a few months ago. The pen, undermanned without Neshek, has been overworked because of the young starters who usually go only about six innings.

Maybe the biggest story of this game is Young's resurgence. After starting slowly, he's finding his stroke. He hit a three-run homer Tuesday that tied the game in the ninth. He was two for four and boosted his RBI total to 52.

Continue reading "Twins take rubber game vs. Yanks"

I remember how flabbergasted I was when Seattle offered a four-year, $48 million deal to Carlos Silva, who had some decent, if not great, years in Minnesota.

Somehow the Mariners became a popular pick to win the AL West, and I kept thinking, "Not if they're depending on Silva to be great."

Well, he's 4-14 and leads the majors in losses. He lasted just three and a third innings Friday, and allowed nine earned runs. That's right, nine. His ERA is 6.36, which means Seattle paid a whole lot of money for nothing.

The winner was Francisco Liriano, who's had three solid starts since being recalled from AAA. On Friday he allowed no earned runs in seven innings.

The Twins have to be concerned with their middle relief. I find it nearly unbelievable that Boof Bonser is still in the major leagues -- it's a measure of the Twins' desperate circumstances in the bullpen.

Continue reading "Twins sink Mariners, 9-3"

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.

Continue reading "Twins beat A's, win series"

Whew! That was nerve-racking.

Did the Twins win because they needed this one more? The team, a half-game behind the White Sox, faced an Angels club that is 15 games ahead.

Did it all hinge on one play -- Torii Hunter's misplay in center field, ruled a triple, that put Nick Punto on third?

Was it the Twins' bullpen, which didn't have to put in someone as woeful as Justin Speier in? The Twins' bullpen was great, with Joe Nathan getting the save after strong stints by Matt Guerrier and Jessie Crain.

Or should we credit Denard Span, who had two hits, knocked in the winning run and made a great catch in right field? The kid has been great. He's hitting over .300 and has been spectacular in the field.

I guess you could credit all these factors. But you have to start with the starters.

Continue reading "Span, Punto spark Twins' win"