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Twins beat, 4/8
Oliva honored during Twins’ home opener
MINNEAPOLIS — Fifty years ago, Tony Oliva left Cuba for the United States to join the Minnesota Twins. On Friday, a bronze statue in Oliva’s likeness was unveiled outside Gate 6 at Target Field.
Oliva, 72, played all 15 years of his career with the Twins, and remained involved with the organization as a mentor to many players. More recently, Oliva was involved in the process of getting the new Twins ballpark built.
“This gate is symbolically numbered for the Twins player who made the unforgettable journey from Cuba nearly half a century ago, and fortunately for all of us, he never left,” said Twins broadcaster John Gordon as he opened the ceremony. “His journey to the big leagues was in fact a blazed trail, and that trail became a populated path for many other great baseball players in an era when this sport became more than just America’s pastime.”
Among those joining Oliva for the ceremony were fellow Twins greats Kent Hrbek, Juan Berenguer and Hall of Famer Rod Carew, who was Oliva’s roommate during their time together in Minnesota.
Additional Opening Day festivities at Target Field included the raising of the 2010 American League Central Division Championship flag by Twins first-base coach Jerry White, a flyover and fireworks.
Oliva also threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Twins home opener to Casey Killebrew, grandson of Harmon Killebrew. Originally scheduled to throw out the first pitch, Killebrew was unable to make the trip to Minnesota due to a conflict with his treatment schedule for esophageal cancer.
“Fifty years ago tomorrow I left Cuba,” Oliva said. “I never dreamed that some day I would be in front of this ballpark next to a statue of me. It’s hard to believe.
“I’d like to thank the Minnesota Twins organization … for giving me the opportunity to play baseball and be with the organization over 50 years. And maybe 50 more to come.”
Morneau returns to action at Target Field
MINNEAPOLIS — Nine months, four days. That’s how long Twins first baseman Justin Morneau went between games played at Target Field before starting Friday’s home opener.
When the day finally came, Morneau was happy to be back in front of the home fans for the first time since July 4, 2010. Judging by the applause he received during pregame introductions, they were thrilled to have him, too.
“I’m sure it’s exciting for him. It’s exciting for all of us, because we’ve been traveling a lot,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “So Mornie is happy to be on the field. He got a lot of that stuff out of the way on the road, so hopefully he can just come home and flow right into it.”
Morneau collected his 1,000th hit on an infield single his first at-bat.
With the way Morneau and the Twins swung the bats on their season opening road trip, they’re looking to get things going a bit more offensively at home. As a team, the Twins entered the game batting .201 (40-for-199).
“We ran into some tough pitching, but with that home cooking, everybody’s happy to be home,” Morneau said. “It seemed like we were on the road for about a month, so it’s nice to get home and get into our routine and all the rest. Hopefully it turns into some wins.”
Cuddyer’s versatility helps Twins at second
MINNEAPOLIS — With Tsuyoshi Nishioka sidelined by a fractured left fibula, the Minnesota Twins have a number of options for replacing the rookie second baseman. One of those options may come as a bit of a surprise to some fans.
Opening Day right fielder Michael Cuddyer took ground balls Friday at second base, giving manager Ron Gardenhire another option at the position. Not only that, it allows him to get a couple more big bats in the lineup.
“We’ll mix and match at second base,” Gardenhire said. “I want options and Michael is one of those options. If I can get Michael in at second, it gives [Jason] Kubel and [Jim] Thome in the lineup. It’ll create some offense. Michael will play anywhere, and we’ve talked about it.”
Playing multiple positions is nothing new for Cuddyer. In 2010, he saw action at first base, second base, third base, right field and center field for the Twins.
While he played just nine innings over two games at second base the last two seasons, Cuddyer has logged 62 games there since 2003. In ’04, Cuddyer started 40 games at second, committing just three errors in 170 chances.
“Me going over there, if need be, just gives Gardy one more option,” Cuddyer said. “I’m comfortable enough to go out there and play.”
Gallardo tosses five-hitter to cap sweep
MILWAUKEE — Through 5 1/3 innings on Thursday, Yovani Gallardo was perfect. After nine innings, the Brewers ace had turned in the best pitching performance of his career.
Gallardo (7-3) even had two hits of his own before allowing any Thursday as the Brewers beat the Twins, 5-0, to complete a three-game sweep at Miller Park. It was the first Milwaukee sweep of Minnesota since 1996, and the first one at home since 1995.
Entering the sixth, Gallardo was four innings away from becoming the third pitcher in the Majors this season and the first in Brewers history to toss a perfecto. Two batters later, an opposite-field single to right by Twins catcher Drew Butera broke up the perfect game.
In the end, Gallardo still tossed his third career complete game and second career shutout while tying his career high with 12 strikeouts. Gallardo, who tossed 122 pitches, gave up just five hits and did not walk a batter for the first time since April 24, 2009, at Houston.
“That was a pretty awesome display of pitching today,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said. “No walks, so that’s an indication what his command was. Twelve strikeouts, only five hits. Pretty awesome. And on top of that, he starts the [four-run, third-inning] rally with a double.”
Scoring runs in his at-bats in the third and fourth, Gallardo helped the Brewers provide more than enough offense against Twins starter Nick Blackburn (6-5), who lasted just 3 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two.
Gallardo’s one-out double in the third led to a four-run inning for the Brewers, featuring two-run home runs by Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder.
“We played good baseball today,” Gallardo said. “We were able to get some runs up there early and get some big hits.
“I’m just going up there trying to help myself out and get on base.”
Amid the excitement of Gallardo’s outing, second baseman Weeks extended his hitting streak to six games with a two-run home run — his 12th of the season — in the third while adding a walk and single in the fourth and sixth innings.
Fielder followed Weeks’ home run with a two-run blast of his own two batters later, his 14th of the season. Despite entering the game batting just a combined 2-for-13 against Blackburn, Fielder and Weeks took advantage of some mistakes by the Minnesota righty.
Macha said he planned to ask bench coach Willie Randolph after the sixth inning if he’d seen a perfect game in his career, but that was before Butera’s single broke up the bid for perfection.
While Gallardo said it was too early to think about it, Fielder acknowledged that it was easy to realize what was going on.
“I don’t know about the perfect game, but you look up there [at the scoreboard] and you saw no hits,” Fielder said. “You knew he was doing well. So, I just wanted him to keep it up regardless of what happens. I just wanted him to keep throwing like he was.”
Though Gallardo allowed five hits over the final four innings, he continued to impress. After striking out just five batters through five innings, Gallardo tallied seven strikeouts in the last four. Nine of Gallardo’s 12 strikeouts came over the final five innings.
Gallardo recorded his eighth career double-digit strikeout performance and his fifth of the season. The last time Gallardo had 12 strikeouts in a game was July 1, 2009.
Over his past six starts, Gallardo has allowed six earned runs on 29 hits in 44 innings of work. Gallardo’s ERA over that stretch is just 1.23, while he’s averaged one earned run on just under five hits per game.
“My command is getting a lot better,” Gallardo said of his recent success. “I’m able to throw my curveball for strikes, slider, changeup, and just mix everything in. … It makes a huge difference.”
Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who was the only batter to hit safely twice in the game for Minnesota, was impressed by what he saw from Gallardo.
“He was definitely tough,” Morneau said. “He’s got a lot of late life on his fastball. The breaking ball is pretty good, [but] I think his best pitch is the fastball. That sets up everything else. It’s hard enough where you can’t just look offspeed and catch up to it. It’s pretty good.”
The Brewers’ sweep was their first of three or more games against the Twins since May 17-20, 1996, at the Metrodome and the first in Milwaukee since Aug. 24-27, 1995, at County Stadium.
Additionally, the club matched a season high with four consecutive victories, which it has done once previously in 2010, when it took the series finale at Washington and swept the Pirates in Pittsburgh from April 18-22.
Milwaukee also earned its third sweep of the season and its first at home. With six more home games to follow and 13 in their next 17 overall, the Brewers appear poised to make a run at getting back to the .500 mark.
“It’s big for us,” Gallardo said of the sweep. “We’ve got a great team here. It’s just a matter of getting things together, and we showed that these three games here at home. Hopefully we can continue it.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Brewers may miss reunion with Hardy
MILWAUKEE — Those looking forward to seeing J.J. Hardy take the field at Miller Park this week for the first time in a Minnesota Twins uniform may have to wait.
Due to a nagging bone bruise in his left wrist, an injury that has limited Hardy to just 12 games since May 4 and resulted in two trips to the disabled list, the former Brewers shortstop remains unsure whether he’ll even make the trip to Milwaukee, much less play.
“I can’t be sure yet,” Hardy said on Saturday. “Probably not is what I would say. But who knows?”
For Hardy and the Twins, the good news is that a second opinion on the wrist revealed that the injury is no more than a bone bruise. Unfortunately for Hardy, it does not appear as though he’ll be ready to return when eligible to be activated from the DL on Tuesday.
As a result, Hardy would miss another opportunity to face his former team, just as he did a month ago, when the Brewers were in Minneapolis for an Interleague series at Target Field.
“I would be a little bit disappointed, yeah,” said Hardy about not being able to play in Milwaukee. “But right now I’m just trying to get back on the field. I don’t care if it’s Milwaukee or anywhere else, I just want to be back out there playing. This has been kind of a really nagging, really annoying thing.”
After the Brewers decided to go younger, faster and, perhaps most important, cheaper at shortstop and center field in the offseason, Hardy was traded to the Twins on Nov. 6, 2009, in exchange for center fielder Carlos Gomez.
Needing extra money to pursue pitching help, the Brewers chose to swap the power bats of Hardy and veteran outfielder Mike Cameron for the speed and youth of Gomez and rookie shortstop Alcides Escobar. The concern at the time was whether the power drop at those two positions would have a negative impact on the offense.
As it turns out, added power from other sources has more than made up for it.
Through 69 games this year, the Brewers have hit 83 home runs while slugging .430. At the same point a year ago, the Brewers had 79 homers and a .420 slugging percentage.
One of the Brewers’ biggest surprises as far as power numbers, though, has more to do with what isn’t happening than what is. Both left fielder Ryan Braun and first baseman Prince Fielder are well off their respective 2009 paces in home runs and RBIs.
Through 69 games last season, Braun and Fielder had combined to belt 32 home runs with 117 RBIs. Through Sunday’s victory, Braun has 10 homers with 45 RBIs and Fielder has 13 home runs and just 27 RBIs.
“It is kind of surprising that we’re doing it without Braun and Prince being really hot,” right fielder Corey Hart said. “Those guys are going to be where they always are, and that means that it’s just going to get better. Their power is going to come.”
Two of the biggest reasons behind the increased power numbers, though, have been the health of second baseman Rickie Weeks and Hart’s surprising power production since the middle of May.
Through 69 games a year ago — with Weeks only playing 37 before sustaining a season-ending wrist injury — Hart and Weeks had combined for 18 homers and 56 RBIs.
Including Hart’s National League-leading 18th homer on Saturday, the two have combined for 28 homers and 90 RBIs in 2009.
“Every year is different. We all try to peg in numbers for everyone before the season starts, but that’s not the way it works,” veteran infielder Craig Counsell said. “Guys have great years, some guys exceed what we think and some guys don’t. We have a good offensive team. Corey has added production, Rickie being healthy has added home runs for us.
“And I don’t think that with the guys we have in the middle of our lineup that we’re going to struggle hitting home runs. It’s been that way for a while. That’s not going to be our weakness.”
So although the numbers at shortstop and center field are down, and the pitching hasn’t worked out as well as the club had hoped, the Brewers seem just fine with the Hardy trade so far.
Likewise, Hardy has been happy with the change of scenery. And though they would probably like to have him around, his former teammates are happy for him as well.
“J.J. loves it over there,” Braun said. “He loves the team, loves the environment, loves the city. He’s disappointed that he’s hurt, but I think he’s excited to be on a good team and wants to contribute to a good team.”
Contributing is exactly what Hardy would like to do once he is cleared to play again.
Until then, he would settle for a trip back to the place he called home the past five years.
“Just going back would be nice. When they came up to Minnesota, I got to see all my old friends,” Hardy said. “I definitely would rather be out there on the field playing against them. If that doesn’t happen, it’s always good to see them.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. MLB.com reporters Kelly Thesier and Adam McCalvy contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Brewers beat 5/22
Twins not mad at ex-mate Gomez
MINNEAPOLIS — When center fielder Carlos Gomez stood and watched his three-run home run in the eighth inning Friday, which made it a 15-3 ballgame, the Twins were not too happy about it.
But after expressing their displeasure with his actions, they realized that it should not have been a surprise coming from Gomez, who played with Minnesota for two years before being traded to Milwaukee in the offseason.
“That’s the type of player he is. It made me mad, but I shouldn’t be getting mad about that,” said Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn, who surrendered the three-run blast. “We were winning the game by 15 runs, so I’m glad he kept it fair.
“That’s the type of guy he is. He gets so caught up in the moment. We all saw it for us last year, so I don’t have too bad feelings. I don’t want to fight the guy, but he hit a home run.”
After the game, Gomez was aware that his actions were inappropriate and was very apologetic about the entire situation.
He added that he was prepared for any sort of retaliation the next time up from the Twins. In his first at-bat, however, Gomez was not thrown at. Instead, he lined out to third base.
When asked about it before Saturday’s game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire shared a similar opinion to that of Blackburn, while suggesting another player in a similar situation may not have been so lucky.
“Those are the moments we know Go-Go can have every once in a while,” Gardenhire said. “He was excited, and I think everyone in the clubhouse was a little fired up about it, but when all is said and done we like this kid a lot.
“If it were somebody else it might be a little different. But with Go-Go … you just live with it. He plays with a passion that not a lot of people do. He doesn’t have to apologize to me. I know what he’s all about, that’s him.”
Hawkins’ return from DL extended
MINNEAPOLIS — Though he was eligible to be activated from the disabled list on Saturday, it may be some time before Brewers reliever LaTroy Hawkins returns to the bullpen.
Hawkins, who has been out for two weeks with right shoulder weakness, is continuing to work to get back but is not expected to return any time in the next few days.
“From what I understand, it may be a while,” manager Ken Macha said. “It’s a strength issue. … So he’ll see the doctor when we get home.”
Despite the lack of progress with his shoulder, Hawkins did join the Brewers in Minnesota after missing the first two cities of the Brewers’ current three-city road trip.
Saturday morning, Hawkins and teammate Rickie Weeks joined a group of 24 fathers and their kids at a downtown Minneapolis hotel as part of the Fatherhood Initiative trip, sponsored by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and several other local business executives.
When asked about his shoulder, Hawkins confirmed he did not know when he would return and echoed his manager in discussing his plans.
“I’m still doing my strengthening program,” Hawkins said. “I’ll get re-evaluated when we get back to Milwaukee on Tuesday.”
Like Hawkins, outfielder Jim Edmonds, who is on the DL, with an oblique strain, may not be ready to return when he is eligible May 31.
Edmonds’ injury occurred on a check swing in the second inning of the Brewers’ second game against the Phillies last Saturday.
The veteran outfielder played another inning in the field — hoping the injury would subside — before being replaced by Jody Gerut in the top of the fourth.
Edmonds noted the next day that he thought the injury could be related to the back issues he dealt with earlier in the season. With oblique injuries often turning into lingering issues, Macha was not confident Edmonds would be ready by May 31.
“Just reading what we’ve got in here,” Macha said, referring to the Brewers’ daily injury report, “he may not be 15 [days] and off [the DL].”
Inglett exits game with sprained ankle
MINNEAPOLIS — A long injury report got longer Saturday as Joe Inglett, who started in left field, left the game with a sprained left ankle.
Starting for the second straight game, Inglett appeared to have injured his ankle sliding into home plate as he scored in the fifth inning on a single to center field by catcher George Kottaras.
Inglett was replaced in left field by Jody Gerut, who rejoined the team Saturday after going home for the birth of his child.
Worth noting
In Friday night’s 15-3 loss at Target Field, the Brewers set season highs for runs allowed in a game (15), runs allowed in an inning (seven) and largest margin of defeat. … Casey McGehee and Ryan Braun, with 37 and 30 RBIs, respectively, entered Saturday’s game tied for the Major League lead in combined RBI (67) this season. … Brewers outfielder Jody Gerut was expected at the ballpark just before game time on Saturday. He was home on Friday and Saturday for the birth of his daughter — Jody and Mary Gerut’s second child. … McGehee asked to play third base on Saturday, a day after he served as the designated hitter in the Brewers’ Interleague opener. Manager Ken Macha liked the idea of giving McGehee a chance to rest his surgically-repaired right-knee, but he honored the request and used Braun as the DH instead. McGehee could serve that role again on Sunday. … Reliever David Riske, who was moved to the 60-day disabled list Friday to free a 40-man roster spot, is eligible for reinstatement June 9 and could be an option for the big league club on that date. He had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow June 1.
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Brewers recap 5/22
Brewers’ five-run ninth all for naught
MINNEAPOLIS — For once, the Brewers were the ones that rallied from four down to take the lead in the ninth. That lead lasted all of four batters in the bottom half of the inning.
The Brewers batted around in the ninth and tagged a pair of Twins relievers, including closer Jon Rauch, for five runs on five hits to carry a one-run lead with three outs to go.
But it just wasn’t enough. The Twins tied it up in the bottom of the frame to send it to extra innings and added another run in the 12th inning to hand the Brewers a tough loss on Saturday, 8-7, at Target Field.
“We just can’t seem to get over the hump,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said. “This thing’s going to turn sooner or later.”
And it could have been even worse. Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo opened the game up much the same way Dave Bush did on Friday night, surrendering four runs with two outs and two runners on in the first inning.
Gallardo got out of the inning, however, retiring eight of the next nine batters he faced. But the Brewers’ offense struggled early as just three runners reached base through the first four innings.
They didn’t get a lot of help from the Twins’ defense, either.
Minnesota turned a double play in four of the last six innings, including three that ended the inning. Making it even more impressive was the fact that not one of the four double plays came easily for the Twins.
“They made some big plays that maybe at the time didn’t seem like they were that big but turned out to be huge,” said Milwaukee third baseman Casey McGehee, who drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. “It’s kind of what they do — it’s Twins baseball. You know they’re going to pitch, you know they’re going to play defense, they’re going to run the bases well and when they throw some hitting in there, they’re pretty darn good.”
The first double play came with two on and one out in the seventh, on a hard hit ground ball by Carlos Gomez to third. Twins third baseman Nick Punto stepped on the bag at third and fired to first to retire Gomez and end the inning.
In the ninth, the Brewers finally strung together a few hits, as the first five batters reached base in the inning. Ryan Braun ripped a low liner to the opposite field. Alexi Casilla — who entered the game in the eighth for an injured Orlando Hudson — snagged Braun’s line drive and caught Gomez too far off first to record the first two outs of the inning.
With the Brewers trailing, 6-5, at the time, a single from Braun could have made an already big inning even bigger for the Brewers.
“Brauny comes up and absolutely tattoos one there [but] can’t get it through the hole,” Macha said. “It’s just the way things are going right now.”
After getting a runner on with one out in each of the next two innings, the Brewers grounded to first baseman Justin Morneau, who started and ended both double plays.
But the Brewers still had a chance. Despite yet another early deficit, they continued to battle into the 12th. Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn’t hold on long enough, something that has become all too familiar for the Brewers this month.
Reliever Marco Estrada was tagged for two runs in the seventh, which came just after the rally-killing double play in the top of the inning. In the ninth, Carlos Villanueva — who has assumed the closer’s role in Trevor Hoffman’s absence — allowed the Twins to tie it up at 7 before escaping.
Finally, in the 12th, lefty Manny Parra — who was originally scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale — was the reliever who took the loss. Parra (0-3) entered in the 11th with the Brewers out of options in the bullpen and promptly shut down the Twins in order.
His final inning, however, was a different story.
Parra sandwiched two walks around a Joe Mauer single, loading the bases with none out in the inning. After getting Michael Cuddyer to ground into a fielder’s choice, Parra allowed the winning run to score on a sacrifice fly to right field by designated hitter Jason Kubel.
“I put myself in that situation walking two guys,” Parra said. “That’s brutal. You just can’t walk two guys. I mean, I gave them [the game].”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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