News
Twins fall with sloppy defense, flat bats
Gardenhire ejected for arguing call, but no rally in store
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
06/30/09 1:11 AM ET
KANSAS CITY -- The Twins came into Monday night's contest against the Royals feeling like they might finally be putting together the quality stretch of baseball they've been searching for all season. Having won the first two series of the nine-game road trip in Milwaukee and St. Louis, the club was just one victory away from ensuring that it would finish the swing with a winning record, in addition to having a winning mark this month. And for the first time in weeks, it looked like the Twins would have all of their starters on the field and their entire 25-man roster healthy for the contest. But 15 minutes before the game was to begin, third baseman Joe Crede was scratched due to tightness in his back. Perhaps that should have been a sign that a rough night was ahead for the Twins. In their return to American League play, the Twins offense went silent and the club's defense was what manager Ron Gardenhire called "sloppy" as they suffered a 4-2 loss to the Royals in the series opener at Kauffman Stadium. "We've been playing pretty good and we just had a clunker tonight defensively where we just didn't make enough plays out there," Gardenhire said. "But, I think more than anything, we got shut down by a young man who threw the ball really, really well against us." Trying yet again to move two games over the .500 mark -- something they have yet to do this season -- the Twins saw their attempt foiled by Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar as they fell back to 39-39 on the season. Hochevar held the club scoreless for seven innings, limiting it to just two hits over that span. Despite the minimal number of hits, the Twins still appeared to have chances early in the contest as they put multiple runners on base in each of the first three innings. But they could not capitalize on those scoring opportunities, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position while Hochevar was on the mound. "I thought early we had some chances. He was missing the strike zone, but we kept swinging," Gardenhire said. "And as the game got along to the fourth, fifth and six innings and so forth, he got really good with all of his pitches. He got a good feel for his breaking ball. His fastball was diving. His slider was snapping too ... We didn't really mount too many threats against him." It didn't help that the Twins, who after sailing through their National League opponents, did not deliver the same type of play that helped them to a 12-6 record in Interleague Play. They recorded two defensive errors while starter Nick Blackburn -- despite tossing his eighth straight quality start -- was constantly working his way out of trouble all night. Blackburn scattered double-digit hits (10) for only the second time this season while allowing three runs (two earned) over his six innings. An early error by Michael Cuddyer in right field -- his first in the outfield this season (121 chances) -- didn't help Blackburn as it allowed the Royals to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Blackburn (6-4) was able to hold it at that mark until the sixth inning, even pitching out of a bases-loaded situation in the fifth. But he started the sixth by giving up back-to-back solo home runs to Albert Callaspo and Miguel Olivo, allowing Kansas City to take a three-run lead. "I was a little off early. My mechanics didn't feel great but I felt like I made a pretty good adjustment late," Blackburn said. "The two home runs were just bad pitches. I don't blame it on anything but missed spots. Our pitch selection was good, I just failed to execute two pitches." The homers came after Gardenhire was ejected in the top of the sixth. With one out in the sixth inning, Jason Kubel appeared to foul a ball off his foot, which traveled down the first base line. Royals first baseman Billy Butler fielded the ball and tagged first base on what was ruled a fair ball by home plate umpire Larry Vanover. Since Kubel believed the ball had gone off his foot, Gardenhire went out to Vanover to check with third base umpire Charlie Reliford on the play. But after his request was denied and a long conversation ensued, Gardenhire flipped his hat back toward the dugout -- earning him his third ejection of the season and the 44th of his career. "I told him if you ask [Reliford] and he says he didn't see it, I'll walk off the field. But he wouldn't do it," Gardenhire said. "So there you have it. I don't understand it and never will. It's about getting it right. "They got it wrong, it went off his foot. OK, you didn't see it, I understand. But just ask, that's all I asked him to do was ask. ... I wouldn't leave the field until they asked and he wasn't going to ask so he made me leave the field." The Twins mustered their only offense once Gardenhire was out of the game. Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer off left-hander John Bale in the eighth to pull the club within two, but by that time it was just too little, too late. "Just not a good night for the Twins," Gardenhire said. "Hopefully we'll come back and bounce back [Tuesday]."Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
