Guardado's rough second outing isn't costly

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: August 27, 2008 - 10:07 PM

Print this story

More from Twins

SEATTLE - If Eddie Guardado's first outing for the Twins this week gave them confidence in his ability to protect every close, eighth-inning lead, the second outing might have them reconsidering.

Guardado retired only one of the four batters he faced in Wednesday's 6-5 victory over the Mariners.

With a 6-4 lead, manager Ron Gardenhire used Matt Guerrier to start the eighth, and he retired Jose Lopez.

Then the Mariners sent lefthanded- hitting Jeremy Reed to pinch hit, so Gardenhire summoned Guardado.

Reed was batting .136 against lefties, and Guardado struck him out. At that point, Guardado had retired all four batters he'd faced since Monday's trade from Texas.

But Kenji Johjima and Jeff Clement followed with back-to-back doubles, trimming the lead to 6-5. Then Miguel Cairo singled, and Guardado would have had a blown save had right fielder Denard Span not made a perfect throw to nail pinch runner Tug Hulett at the plate.

At least Gardenhire and Guardado could smile.

"I remember him as my closer, so that was nothing," Gardenhire said. "That's the way it always was. That's normal. Guys getting a couple of hits, guys getting thrown out and he's fist-pumping. That's good stuff."

"I knew he was going to say that," Guardado said. "That's why you've got your defense out there. What a great throw."

Guerrier improves

Guerrier has made four scoreless appearances on this road trip -- with one hit allowed in 4 1/3 innings -- lowering his August ERA from 20.25 to 11.17.

"I feel like I'm a little sharper," he said.

After Guerrier gave up two home runs against the Yankees on Aug. 12, the Twins committed themselves to resting him more.

He made only one appearance over the next eight days and has come back strong. He's still tied with Seattle's Sean Green for the American League lead with 63 appearances.

"I said all along I felt good, and I did," he said. "But at times, you get a little stubborn."

Deep inside, Guerrier knew rest would help. He also knew how much the bullpen needed his rubber arm.

Having Guardado should help the Twins spread out the late-inning workload.

Gomez sits

Carlos Gomez didn't start but came off the bench as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and moved to center field.

He was 1-for-6 in the series' first two games.

"He's swinging a little crazy again," Gardenhire said. "Just gotta calm him down."

Gomez will likely return to center field tonight, when the Twins open a four-game series in Oakland.

Etc.

• Joe Nathan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 36th save. With two outs, he fell behind Raul Ibanez 3-0, but got Ibanez to ground to second base on a fastball clocked at 94 miles per hour. Ibanez, who smashed his 21st homer two innings earlier, is batting .394 for August.

• Ben Revere, the Twins' 2007 first-round draft pick, was named Midwest League MVP after batting .379 for Class A Beloit.