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Home | Sports | Twins

Twins draw a blank on solving Sabathia

Mark Duncan, Associated Press

Twins shortstop Brendan Harris showed his frustration after striking out against Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia in the eighth inning Tuesday night. The Twins lost 1-0, dropping their sixth consecutive game.

The Cleveland lefty pitched a five-hit shutout, thanks in part to baserunning misadventures by the Twins, who lost their sixth in a row.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: June 11, 2008 - 10:12 AM

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CLEVELAND 1, TWINS 0

Up next: 6:05 p.m. today at Cleveland • TV: FSN

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CLEVELAND - The Twins finally got the pitching performance they've been thirsting for Tuesday, but it was as if they plugged that hole in the bucket, only to spring another annoying leak.

Baserunning mistakes.

Those will keep a losing streak churning, too, especially when you're facing a reigning Cy Young Award winner.

C.C. Sabathia took advantage of three Twins baserunning mistakes and outdueled Scott Baker, as Cleveland held on for a 1-0 victory at Progressive Field.

While not as ugly as the Twins' previous four games in Chicago, this one extended their losing streak to six, their longest skid since last September.

Sabathia (4-8) delivered his seventh career shutout, a five-hitter that pulled Cleveland within one game of the Twins for second place in the AL Central.

Baker (2-1) held the Indians to one run on eight hits over seven innings, turning in the Twins' longest start since Kevin Slowey's complete game on May 29.

Cleveland grabbed the lead in the first inning, when Ben Francisco doubled and Ryan Garko hit a two-out RBI single.

"You have to give C.C. some credit," Baker said. "I don't care what his record is or what he's done this season ... he was dominating tonight."

Sabathia retired the final 17 batters and lowered his ERA to 4.34. "Tonight ... I felt it was the best I've been all year," he said.

But the Twins squandered some good chances early.

The game started with back-to-back singles by Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla.

Then, with one out, Justin Morneau hit a looping liner toward the left-center gap. Francisco, the left fielder, had a long run but made the catch. By then, Gomez had dashed for third base, so Francisco threw to second for a gift double play.

Gomez didn't lose track of the outs. He thought the ball was a sure hit.

"I saw the outfielders play deep, and I thought the ball is going down hard," Gomez said. "He hit it low, and ... I looked at the ball -- I didn't think [Francisco] had a chance."

Gomez shrugged.

"Sometimes you make a mistake like that," he said.

Between innings, Gardenhire met him at the dugout water cooler for a quick tutorial.

"I could score if that ball lands," Gardenhire said. "It's not even about speed. It's about knowledge of the game, where the outfielders are playing, and all those things.

"Obviously, he got too excited. You've just got to slow the game down a little bit. ... A young man mistake."

The Twins had all five of their hits by the fourth inning but kept letting Sabathia off the hook.

Matt Macri, the No. 9 hitter, started the third with a bunt single. And then, with Gomez batting, Macri was picked off trying to steal second.

Gardenhire said Macri must have misread a sign.

An inning later, Joe Mauer lined a leadoff single. But he too was doubled off, when Morneau hit a soft liner to second baseman Josh Barfield.

"A jam shot -- tough read," Gardenhire said. "You've just got to freeze as best you can. You're probably in no-man's land no matter where it goes."

Sabathia never gave the Twins another chance in their shortest game this season, at 2 hours and 6 minutes.

"They did hit some balls hard," Sabathia said. "But we were playing in the right spots."

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