SAN FRANCISCO -- It was fireworks night at The Coliseum, and since my Minnesota deadlines came quickly after the game, I figured I'd hustle out and beat the crowd to the train station.

Nice try.

I walked half-way around the stadium and realized the BART ramp was closed because they were launching the fireworks in that area. A woman told me I could catch a bus to the station on the other side of the stadium. I got there, watched one bus leave and waited in line for a while. Then another woman came and told us the BART station was open.

By then, the fireworks were over, and it seemed like I was behind 5,000 people, slowly making their way to the station like herded sheep or cattle. It was interesting to see a few Twins fans sprinkled in the mix, and a few were on my train back to San Francisco.

Anyway, that's why this postgame blog is late. Couple quick thoughts:

* Trevor Plouffe might see more playing time at second base after handling himself very well there in his first major league start at the position. Manager Ron Gardenhire wasn't thrilled with Plouffe's baserunning, but the rookie's hitting and defense were both impressive.

* Another bad night for Jose Mijares, and you have to wonder if the Twins will try to move him by Sunday afternoon's trade deadline. It looked like Minnesota caught a break in the eighth inning, when Michael Cuddyer hit his three-run homer, and Austin, Minn., native Michael Wuertz loaded the bases.

Glen Perkins had been warming in the bullpen, but when the A's were forced to bring in Brian Fuentes, this gave Mijares time to get loose. It seemed like the Twins would be able to give Perkins the rest of the night off.

But with a 9-2 lead, Mijares issued a one-out walk to Coco Crisp -- inexcusable -- and a single to Hideki Matsui before Josh Willingham crushed his second homer of the game.

Alex Burnett walked Scott Sizemore leading off the ninth, and after Kurt Suzuki took a called third strike (on a questionable call), Gardenhire summoned Perkins.

No wonder we nearly missed deadline! Perkins restored order, of course, fanning Cliff Pennington and Jemile Weeks to end the game. Perkins has allowed one earned runs in his past 18 appearances, with 20 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings pitched.

If only my postgame exit strategy had been that efficient.