Garza finds road more kind

The Twins rookie righthander settled down after two rough starts to pitch six innings and win for the first time in the major leagues.

By La Velle E. Neal III, Star Tribune

Last update: August 24, 2006 - 12:31 AM

BALTIMORE - Michael Cuddyer didn't do it.

"No, Joe Nathan did it." Cuddyer replied.

He didn't stop there.

"I'll even tell you that [Juan] Rincon filled it up," Cuddyer said.

That's why Matt Garza had to address the media Wednesday night after his first major league victory with George Clooney hair. A shaving cream pie -- courtesy of Nathan and Rincon -- caught Garza off guard during a postgame television interview.

Garza helped the Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 at Camden Yards with six strong innings, earning his first victory on his third try. He looked like he didn't mind having his hair streaked with shaving cream.

"It takes the pressure off a little bit," Garza said, "to get the first one out of the way."

Nathan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 26th save as the Twins remained one-half game back of the Chicago White Sox in the American League wild card race.

On a humid evening, Garza finally displayed the kind of pitching the Twins envisioned from him. He kept the ball down, used all of his pitches and positioned the Twins to win a series tonight.

He entered the game with a 11.74 ERA in two starts. Both were at home in front of crowds of 31,000 and 27,000 at the Metrodome. The atmosphere was electric and fans hung on every pitch, but Garza showed his nerves, overthrowing and relying on too many fastballs and losing twice.

Things were different Wednesday. He was on the road in front of an announced crowd 19,258. There was less media interest and he had a few bullpen sessions under his belt.

"I went out to my bullpen more relaxed," Garza said. "I went into the game way more relaxed and was able to throw strikes and was like, 'Let's get after it.' "

Garza didn't give up a hit until Nick Markakis' single in the third inning. Garza got a few pitches up, but when he missed he usually missed low, and it helped that home plate umpire Angel Hernandez was calling low strikes Wednesday.

The result: Six innings, one unearned run, one walk and one strikeout. Garza lowered his ERA more than five runs to 6.59.

"It's about young guys making improvement as they go along," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I think we saw a guy a little more relaxed, using his pitches and mixing it up. That's pretty much what we were hoping for and the bullpen came in and did the rest."

Things fell into place in other ways. The Twins scored two runs in the first, giving Garza (1-2) a small early cushion. And the Twins made several good plays defensively. Shortstop Jason Bartlett and second baseman Luis Castillo each went up the middle to gobble up grounders and flip to the other for force plays. When Cuddyer made a diving catch in right field to end the fifth inning, Garza, Nick Punto and Justin Morneau waited on the field to slap gloves with Cuddyer as he came to the dugout.

"He helped us out by throwing strikes," Cuddyer said of Garza. "Whenever you have a guy out there throwing strikes and working quick, your defense is going to play for you."

WILD CARD

Chicago --

Twins 1/2

Boston 4

INSIDE

Thome hurt as White Sox beat Tigers. C4

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