If the Twins want to make the playoffs, they can't lose games to Cleveland when Johan Santana's pitching.
Quote:
USATODAY.com - Baseball - Minnesota vs. Cleveland
Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) - Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire kept his clubhouse doors closed 10 extra minutes.
''The guys were a little flustered,'' he explained. ''Sorry.''
No apologies needed. This loss hurt a little more than most for the Twins. Not just because it's September, and not just because Detroit won. This one stung because it came in a game that Johan Santana started.
Rookie Ryan Garko's bouncer scored Franklin Gutierrez from third in the 10th inning Friday night, sending the Cleveland Indians to a 5-4 win over Minnesota and dropping the Twins two games out of first in the AL Central.
The Twins battled back to tie it with a two-run ninth, a rally that kept Santana unbeaten since July 9. However, Minnesota's top-notch bullpen had a rare falter and the Twins fell to 12-1 in games Santana has started since the All-Star break.
''It was a tough one,'' said Santana, who was icing his arm when the Indians scored the winning run. ''We battled the whole night and had our chances.''
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Tick, tick, tick, guys. The clock is ticking and you're running out of time to win the division. How big of a loss is this one?
09-16-2006, 10:03 AM
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