Casilla quickly becoming a fixture

Twins rookie second baseman Alexi Casilla has been back in the majors less than a week, but he already has done a couple of things his predecessor, Luis Castillo, struggled to do.

By La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune

Last update: August 5, 2007 - 8:10 PM

Twins rookie second baseman Alexi Casilla has been back in the majors less than a week, but he already has done a couple of things his predecessor, Luis Castillo, struggled to do.

One was play a day game after a night game, which Casilla can do because he's young and doesn't have the chronic leg and hip problems Castillo does.

The other: Castillo was Sir Slap-a-Lot. Casilla can drive the ball some.

And the only run of Sunday's 1-0 victory over Cleveland came when Casilla batted with two on in the fourth and lined one over Kenny Lofton's head in left for a ground-rule RBI double.

"If the ball doesn't hop over the fence we probably score two runs," Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer said.

Casilla told teammates he was familiar with Carmona through winter encounters.

"That surprised me," Twins closer Joe Nathan said of the double. "If he's got that in the tank -- and he can run like he does and he stays within himself for the most part -- you're talking about a guy who can be a good leadoff hitter for a long time because he's young."

Casilla is 2-for-9 in the series but committed two errors Friday. On Sunday, he made Twins manager Ron Gardenhire a little nervous when he didn't get in front of a routine grounder in the ninth.

"The man's out there playing. He didn't back down," Gardenhire said. "He even backhanded a ball, whatever that was. I'm glad he caught it. Entertainment."

Hunter OK

Twins outfielder Torii Hunter appeared to have suffered a serious left wrist injury when he landed on it while trying to make a diving catch of Ryan Garko's drive in the fifth.

"It went numb," Hunter said. "I thought I might have broken it."

Gardenhire and team trainer Rick McWane ran out to check on Hunter, who couldn't squeeze McWane's hand when asked to.

Hunter stayed in the game, and the feeling eventually returned. He wasn't expected to need X-rays.

"Tape it up and let's go," Hunter said. "It's a little sore."

Don't run

Twins catchers have thrown out 42 percent of would-be base stealers; anything around 35 percent is considered good.

Now take out Chris Heintz's 0-for-8, and Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond have thrown out 49 percent of opponents trying to steal.

Mauer threw out Grady Sizemore in the first inning with a textbook throw to the base stealer's side of second, then threw out Lofton on a very close play in the sixth.

"He really didn't look like he was going to have much of a shot at Lofton and he threw a pellet down there," Gardenhire said. "Kind of a young Ron Gardenhire arm down there.

"Just kidding."

Milestone for Nathan

Nathan picked up the 150th save of his career on Sunday when he pitched a scoreless ninth.

Casey Blake did get a two-out single, but Victor Martinez bounced out to first base to end the game.

Nathan has converted his past 12 save opportunities and is 26-for-28 for the season.

Etc.

• With Heintz out up to four weeks after breaking his right wrist, the next catcher in line at Class AAA Rochester is Jose Morales, who entered Sunday batting .338 but still needs work on his defense.

• None of the Twins' righthanded hitters -- Hunter, Cuddyer or Jason Bartlett -- reached base against Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona on Sunday.

La Velle E. Neal III • lneal@startribune.com

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