Slowey not taking his roster spot for granted

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: March 25, 2008 - 11:15 PM

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PITTSBURGH 7, TWINS 3

Up next: vs. Tampa Bay • 12:05 today • Fort Myers, Fla. • No TV (1500-AM)

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BRADENTON, FLA. — Twins starter Kevin Slowey retired the first 11 batters he faced Tuesday, but the Pittsburgh Pirates scored four runs before he was done, after five innings.

The Pirates held on for a 7-3 victory, as the Twins lost for the fourth time in five games, falling to 13-13 in Grapefruit League play.

Before the game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Slowey likely would be the team's No. 3 starter, making his first start April 2, against the Los Angeles Angels at the Metrodome.

Slowey, who is 3-2 with a 4.79 ERA this spring, hadn't been told he made the team, and the righthander took nothing for granted after his start.

"I think until you're on the plane to Minnesota, you're trying to make the team," Slowey said. "That's just how it is. Unless you're somebody like [Justin] Morneau, but I think even he's not relaxing."

Gardenhire said Slowey would get one final spring tuneup in Saturday's Grapefruit League finale against Pittsburgh. Mostly, Gardenhire seemed to like how Slowey performed Tuesday.

"I think we gave them about five runs by misplaying balls and all those things, so we didn't help the fact," Gardenhire said. "[Slowey] did start getting the ball up. It became against what [pitching coach Rick Anderson] has been trying to talk about: If they start hitting it hard, you throw it slower."

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