Baker gets past rough stretch

Glen Stubbe, Dml - Star Tribune Star Tribune

Scott Baker left Saturday's game with a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: September 7, 2008 - 12:17 AM

Twins righthander Scott Baker hit a rough stretch a few weeks ago but has rebounded, pitching into the seventh inning in three of his past four starts and into the eighth twice.

Baker left Saturday's game with one out in the eighth after walking Ramon Santiago, who eventually scored on Curtis Granderson's home run. But Baker is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his past four starts.

He did tie a career high with four walks but a recent mechanical adjustment has helped him keep the ball down more consistently and he's pitching deeper into games.

"For the most part, I felt pretty good,'' said Baker, who's 8-4 with a 3.66 ERA this season. "I made pitches when I needed to and I kept the ball down in the zone against these guys.''

Baker received a standing ovation when he was removed from the game, and doffed his cap in appreciation.

Morneau minutiae

Justin Morneau, with 22 homers, needs a power surge to hit at least 30 homers for the third consecutive year. But there are other indications he continues to grow as a hitter.

He doubled down the right field line in the third inning on Saturday, giving him 41 this season, already a career high. He has hit 27 doubles since June 30 and is closing in on the Twins' single-season doubles record of 46, set by Marty Cordova in 1996.

When asked how he's become a doubles machine, Morneau said: "I have no idea why. Early on, I wasn't hitting a lot of doubles. I think I'm hitting more line drives this year.''

Morneau's 66 extra-base hits already are more than last year and not far from his MVP year of 2006, when he had 72. He also has drawn a career-high 71 walks, including an AL-high 15 intentional walks. Take away the intentional walks, and he still would have the second-highest walk total of his career.

And he entered Saturday batting .380 with runners in scoring position, third best in the majors.

Cuddy swings

Outfielder Michael Cuddyer took a full round of batting practice before Saturday's game as he eases into things while recovering from a broken left foot suffered on Aug. 8.

"It just felt good to do something.'' he said.

He's not allowed to do any running, but that could change soon. He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday and could be cleared to begin some jogging.

Payback?

On May 25, Carlos Gomez and Alexi Casilla attempted back-to-back bunts on Detroit righthander Justin Verlander, who then glared into the Twins dugout.

Gomez spoke after the game about the need to use bunts to rattle Verlander.

"This guy is a great pitcher," Gomez said. "But his mind is not good."

Verlander beat the Twins 4-2 on July 13 in a rematch. But on Saturday, he plunked Gomez with a 1-1 pitch in the third, which caused Gomez to glare back out toward the mound.

Etc.

Class AA New Britain outfielder David Winfree has been named the Twins minor league player of the month after hitting .341 with six homers and 25 RBI in August. Class AAA Rochester righthander Philip Humber went 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA and was named minor league pitcher of the month.