Blackburn bends, doesn't break in a gritty triumph

Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

Twins runners Brendan Harris (23) and Joe Mauer scored two of the four runs in a first inning play as Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski asked the umpire for another baseball.

Several strong defensive plays behind him help make the Twins a winner.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: July 10, 2009 - 11:57 PM

To Michael Cuddyer, it's no coincidence the Twins make some of their best defensive plays when Nick Blackburn is pitching.

"The quicker the tempo of the game, the easier it is to play behind the pitcher," Cuddyer said. "You're always in the game. You're alert. Your first-step quickness is there."

Blackburn brings out the best in the Twins, and so does the Metrodome. Together, they make a tough combination for opponents, as the White Sox realized Friday night in their first game there all season.

Blackburn tossed seven gritty innings, and after squandering a four-run lead, the Twins got a two-out, run-scoring single from Joe Mauer in the seventh inning, leading to a 6-4 victory.

After a demoralizing sweep against the Yankees, the Twins seemed back in their element. Cuddyer, Brendan Harris, Nick Punto and Joe Crede all made big plays defensively, as the Twins climbed within a half-game of Chicago for second place in the AL Central.

Blackburn was at home, where he is 5-0 this season and 13-3 with a 2.85 ERA in his career. That success rate is comparable to that of Jack Morris, who was 17-4 with a 3.15 ERA in his first 22 starts at the Dome.

"Tonight, [Blackburn] really showed you how far he's come as a pitcher," Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson said.

It helped, of course, that White Sox starter John Danks walked the first four batters he faced, letting the Twins grab a quick, 4-0 lead.

But when Danks picked off Cuddyer at first base, Minnesota's momentum came to a screeching halt. Chicago chipped away and tied the score in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Chris Getz.

That was when Blackburn (8-4) showed his mettle. Chicago had the potential go-ahead run on third base, but Blackburn pitched out of the jam and dug down for a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

It was a pivotal moment for the Twins, with Jose Mijares, Bobby Keppel and R.A. Dickey unavailable in the bullpen.

"Before the seventh, I convinced myself to take something off the pitches and almost try to throw [batting practice] fastballs and let the pitch do the work," Blackburn said. "Everything kind of calmed down."

After Mauer delivered the big, clutch hit, the Twins added an insurance run in the eighth, when pinch runner Matt Tolbert stole second base, and Carlos Gomez scored him with an electrifying bunt down the first-base line.

Matt Guerrier pitched a perfect eighth inning -- giving him 18 scoreless appearances in his past 19 tries.

"I don't know if Matty missed a spot tonight," Anderson said of Guerrier, who threw eight of his 10 pitches for strikes.

Joe Nathan pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save and 17th in his past 17 opportunities.

Blackburn actually had his streak of nine consecutive quality starts come to an end. For a quality start, a pitcher needs to throw at least six innings and allow three or fewer earned runs.

Blackburn allowed four earned runs over seven innings, leaving his ERA at 3.06.

"It was a quality start -- in our minds," Anderson said.

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