NewsTwins remain in thick of playoff race
Minnesota (67-66) at Cleveland (58-73), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
09/02/09 7:36 PM ET
MINNEAPOLIS -- A little over two weeks ago, the Twins found themselves 6 1/2 games back in the American League Central race and on the brink of watching their postseason hopes swept away. "We looked like we were kind of dead in the water," Twins closer Joe Nathan said. "But the last 12 days, we got back in this thing." Thanks to a stretch in which the Twins have gone 11-4 in their past 15 games, the club has been able to keep the first-place Tigers within sight. "This year in our division, we've all been taking our lumps. That's why we're in it," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We said for the last two months that if you get on a roll, you can get right back in it. A good two-week stretch and you're right back in there close, and that's what has happened here." Minnesota's momentum took a hit on Wednesday when the club blew a 2-0 lead with two outs in the ninth against the White Sox, preventing it from completing a three-game sweep and keeping it four games behind Detroit, which had yet to play a night game with Cleveland. But while it was a tough loss, the Twins are trying to make it just a slight bump in the road. "Just because you lost a game like this doesn't mean you're not playing good baseball," Gardenhire said after the 4-2 loss to Chicago. "We're playing good baseball ... You just have to move on. When you play every night like we do, you can't let things carry with you. Our guys have been pretty good about not bringing stuff with them." The Twins' focus is now turned to the next task at hand -- keeping up the quality play on their upcoming seven-game road trip to Cleveland and Toronto. Minnesota went 5-2 on its past road trip to Texas and Kansas City, splitting a four-game series with the playoff-contending Rangers and sweeping a three-game set against the Royals. "We need to continue to play consistent and good baseball on the road like we have lately," Nathan said. "I think that's really one of the keys that got us back in this thing." The four players that the Twins acquired in the past month have also been a factor in the recent surge as well. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera, starter Carl Pavano and relievers Jon Rauch and Ron Mahay have given the team a lift on the field, and perhaps their presence in Minnesota might have provided the club with a boost. "I think it made a statement to the players out there in the clubhouse," Gardenhire said of the club getting those four players. "Sometimes statements are as big as the play itself, like, 'Hey, [the front office] is trying to help us here get on the right track.' Sometimes those statements go a long way." On Friday night when the Twins open up their series with the Indians, Pavano will face his former team for the first time since he was acquired by Minnesota on Aug. 7. While the Twins' young pitchers have stepped up in key situations recently for the club, Gardenhire acknowledged that it's nice to have some veteran experience to rely on also at this point in the pennant race. "It's a wonderful thing to place veterans in spots where you've had kids," Gardenhire said. "It can be very good at this time of the year when you're waffling and trying to figure out how to get through things. ... But overall, we are pitching better and getting some timely hits and the confidence level is a lot higher right now." Pitching matchupMIN: RHP Carl Pavano (11-10, 5.11 ERA)
Pavano will be making his first start against the Indians since being acquired by the Twins from Cleveland. Pavano is coming off a solid performance in which he gave up just two runs through six innings, but received no run support as the Twins fell, 3-0, to the Rangers. He struck out seven against Texas, the most since he struck out eight against Kansas City on May 21. He's 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA in one career start vs. the Tribe. CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (5-9, 4.88 ERA)
The left-hander ran into some bad luck in his previous start, a 5-3 victory over the Orioles in Baltimore last Saturday. He gave up two runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings and had to leave the game thanks to a long rain delay that flooded the dugouts. The storms that night lasted only about 20 minutes, but they were so intense that it took 97 minutes to clean up and restart the game, and that was too long for Sowers to wait. He's pitched much better in the past month. Tidbits
Gardenhire said that Joe Crede's back is feeling better following his second epidural. There still is no timetable for Crede's return, although it's possible that the club could stage a simulated game next week in Toronto for the third baseman to take some swings to test his back. ... Joe Mauer was in the lineup as the Twins' DH on Wednesday, but he's expected to get a day off during the club's upcoming seven-game road trip. It's part of a stretch of 13 straight contests for the Twins, and Gardenhire said with three catchers on his roster now, he wants to give Mauer a break. ... Denard Span extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Wednesday, tying his career high. Over the stretch, Span is hitting .447. Tickets
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• Saturday: Twins (Scott Baker, 12-7, 4.44) at Indians (Justin Masterson, 4-6, 4.57), 3:10 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Twins (Nick Blackburn, 9-9, 4.16) at Indians (David Huff, 8-7, 6.57), 12:05 p.m. CT
• Monday: Twins (Jeff Manship, 0-0, 3.75) at Blue Jays (TBD), 12:07 p.m. CT
Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
