Another game slips through Twins' fingers

Despite taking the lead -- twice -- in the late innings against Toronto, Minnesota found ways to give it back and lose in 11 innings.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III , Star Tribune

Last update: September 4, 2008 - 1:58 AM

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TORONTO 5, TWINS 4 (11 innings)

Up next: at Toronto • 6:07 p.m. today • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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TORONTO - Bob Marley tunes played softly in the background while the Twins showered and changed following a 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Blue Jays. Catcher Mike Redmond sat on a sofa, telling outfielder Jason Pridie to keep his chin up after making a costly error in the ninth.

Joe Nathan found reasons to crack a smile as he spoke with reporters following his latest blown save.

Oh yeah, the Twins are trying to not allow an outbreak of tough losses affect them. But there's little doubt the Twins are playing some of their worst baseball of the year during their crucial 14-game road trip. They have suffered three walk-off losses on the trip. Nathan has blown three saves. They committed a season-high three errors Wednesday -- all from the seventh inning on.

"A lot of people think that the world is ending, but it is not for this clubhouse," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Continued Gardenhire: "The world is not ending for this clubhouse. We'll be back and ready to play tomorrow."

The Twins, who have lost eight consecutive games to Toronto and need to win tonight to salvage a 6-8 road trip. The amazing thing is that they are only one game behind the White Sox in the AL Central despite playing so poorly lately.

"It's a tough stretch," Nathan said. "We have had some weird things happen. Things that haven't happened in the past. Baseball is going to throw some things at you. This is a time you have to show some true character. Good teams find a way to grind through this, keep their heads above water -- keep ourselves in the race -- and hopefully turn it around.

"We're one game back. We're still in this thing. We've got a lot of positives."

The Twins had a 4-3 lead in the ninth, but Nathan walked 37-year-old backup catcher Gregg Zaun to start the inning. Zaun was replaced by pinch runner Curtis Thigpen. Nathan got Lyle Overbay to fly out and Scott Rolen to line out, but Travis Snider singled to right, where Pridie -- who made his major league debut Wednesday -- was playing.

Pridie mishandled the ball, allowing Thigpen to score from first to tie the game.

"I know I'm a better defensive player than that," Pridie said. "I was brought up here to do some things. I made a mistake and have got to move on."

Nathan gave up a one-out triple to Alex Rios in the 10th. He intentionally walked the next two batters, then got two outs to end that threat.

But the game ended in the next inning, when Scott Rolen doubled, went to third on a single to left by Snider and scored when John McDonald drove a Boof Bonser pitch over Denard Span's head in center.

It wasted what appeared to be a possible game-winning hit by Joe Mauer in the seventh, when his bases-clearing double off Scott Downs gave the Twins a 3-2 lead. Offense was hard to come by otherwise, as they went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position after entering the game leading the majors with a .313 average in those situations.

But just add that to the list of things they need to get over.

"We didn't play good, fundamental baseball tonight," Gardenhire said, "and that is what can beat you."

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