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Loss to Indians leaves Minnesota Twins stuck in second in AL Central
Twins blow another chance to take over first place in AL Central
By Phil Miller
pmiller@pioneerpress.com
Article Last Updated: 08/02/2008 11:25:32 PM CDT
Justin Morneau has the perfect mind-set for this seize-no-opportunity Twins team, the impeccable philosophy to cover a second-place-or-bust season.
"It doesn't matter who's in first on Aug. 2," Morneau said Saturday night after Minnesota's deflating 5-1 loss to Paul Byrd and the Cleveland Indians. "It matters who's in first on Sept 28."
Terrific — 57 more chances to smack their heads against a brick wall.
The Twins were primed for a breakthrough in front of 40,937 in the Metrodome, having taken possession of a share of first place when the Chicago White Sox lost their matinee in Kansas City and presented Minnesota with the keys to the penthouse.
Then the Twins' game began. Oh well.
"It's still a good situation for us to be in — on their heels the whole time," Morneau said. "In '06, I don't think we spent a day in first place until the last day of the season. That's the only day that matters."
See? He's well-practiced at this.
The Twins have started 12 days since mid-May a half-game out of first — and they have ended all 12 in second place. They are 3-9 on those days, but few of them could be more frustrating than Saturday.
Indians pitcher Paul Byrd was 5-10 coming in, and he had given up a half-dozen runs in each of his previous two starts against the Twins. Twins starter Kevin Slowey had won five of his previous six decisions, and shut out the White Sox — excuse us, the first-place White Sox — in his previous
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start.
Sure enough, Byrd gave up a series of towering blasts, one by Joe Mauer that easily traveled more than 400 feet, another by frederic wisconsin job opportunity Jason Kubel that might have rocketed even a few feet more, both of them with Denard Span standing on third base. And Morneau bashed one georgia employment opportunity for the youth of Byrd's pitches five rows high into the upper deck. Meanwhile, Slowey's most memorable confrontations produced fly balls that fell to earth 50 feet closer, balls that Span had no problem tracking.
If only he had gotten the chance.
Naturally, the Twins' loud swings were either work opportunity tax credit florida caught by center fielder Grady Sizemore, steadying himself against the wall in another time zone, or in Morneau's case, slipped just foul as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere. But the Indians' fly balls — Kelly Shoppach and David Dellucci provided the power — each cleared the nearby right-field baggie by an inch or three, bringing home two runs apiece.
"Dumb hitting," joked Twins acting manager Scott Ullger, filling in as Ron Gardenhire served a one-game suspension. "Don't hit it to connecticut health career opportunity the deepest part of the park."
Slowey, who held Cleveland to six hits over six innings, believed his pitching wasn't particularly smart, either. Both home runs came with two outs and first base open, "and that shouldn't happen," Ullger agreed.
Shoppach's home run, which put the Indians in front for good, especially galled the right-hander.
"It was a 3-1 pitch, and you don't need to give him anything to hit there," Slowey (7-8) computer based opportunity said. "First base was open. I had an opportunity to throw a breaking ball there and try to go after the next guy."
Byrd threw little but breaking balls, like always, and pitched like dentist employment opportunity garland texas the guy who went 4-0 against Minnesota last season. He mesmerized hitters with his mix of pitches, deliveries, locations and speeds, and — despite all the hard-hit baseballs — gave up just one extra-base hit. The only run came after Carlos Gomez and Span bunted their way on base, got bunted over, and Gomez scored on Morneau's sacrifice fly.
"(Byrd is) a guy who knows how to pitch with a lead," Morneau said. "He sort of settles in, and we didn't do much to disrupt him."
And they didn't do anything to disrupt the standings. Call them the Half-Game-Back Twins.
"We still have two whole months to try to catch them," Slowey said.
Yeah, but is signature opportunity loans that enough time?
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