In no time, it’s a lost cause for Twins

Duane Burleson, Associated Press

Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, left, is congratulated by Clete Thomas after hitting a two-run home run off Minnesota's Nick Blackburn in the fourth inning.

The Tigers buried the Twins early and with ease, raising questions about Minnesota's ability to contend.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: May 6, 2009 - 2:14 PM

Print this story

DETROIT 9, TWINS 0

Up next: Two-game series at Baltimore • Game 1 at 6:05 p.m. today • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

More from Twins

DETROIT - The Twins packed up and left for Baltimore following a 9-0 loss to Detroit on Tuesday that raised a question: How many beatdowns will this team receive this season?

By the fourth inning, the Tigers had all their runs, the Twins had committed three errors and misplayed a fourth into a two-run triple.

What's even more bizarre is how can the Twins be considered a playoff contender when they already have lost eight games by at least five runs, including 8-0, 12-2, 10-1 and 9-0? The Twins entered Tuesday with a minus-21 run differential that was tied for the fourth worst in baseball. That doesn't tell the whole story -- but that's a big number for a season that's only one month old.

For Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, it's not about the lopsided losses but raising their level of play.

"We can't keep making the excuse that we're a young team when we are making a lot of mistakes,'' he said. "A lot of them are mental mistakes that don't show up as errors, like not thinking to throw the ball home. Not thinking of the play ahead of time before it happens.

"Even baserunning. We made a lot of mistakes on the bases. Everyone has been here for a long time, and you can only use that excuse for so long and then eventually you have to say, 'You're not making adjustments.'"

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was expected to speak with General Manager Bill Smith after the game about potential roster moves. It's been no secret that he's tried to get infielder Alexi Casilla to step up his game. But Casilla didn't run hard out of the batter's box after popping up a bunt in the first inning Monday. On Tuesday, Casilla was involved in the play Morneau alluded to -- when he took a throw from right fielder Michael Cuddyer but failed to relay home, allowing Gerald Laird to rumble home from first on a double by Ramon Santiago.

Gardenhire amplified Morneau's thoughts.

"We have a relay down the first-base line where we have a chance to throw a guy out at home plate," Gardenhire said. "The guy catches the ball, drops his head and looks around. Now we have no chance. The baserunner was a catcher at first base.

"That's not knowing the game. That's getting old. So we'll work on this."

Casilla isn't the only one to blame. There were others.

Twins righthander Nick Blackburn entered the game with a 1.93 ERA over his previous two starts. But his ERA rose like the pitches he left up in the strike zone and the Tigers sent him to the showers after only 3 1/3 innings. He gave up nine runs, six earned, on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Casilla and Blackburn weren't the only ones. There were others.

A single by Josh Anderson skipped by Delmon Young in the second for an error, On the next play, Casilla misplayed Placido Polanco's grounder for an error. Thomas followed with a shot to right that Cuddyer dived for but missed, allowing it to skip by for a triple.

Even the soft-handed Joe Crede misplayed a grounder in the third for an error.

"We're not playing well enough to be a playoff team, and that's what we expect ourselves to be," Morneau said. "And we need to play better than the way we have been playing, that's for sure."

Recent Twins stories

Yankees top Phillies 7-3 for their 27th championship - May 6, 2009

Yankees top Phillies 7-3 for their 27th championship - Powered by Hideki Matsui's record-tying six RBI, New York won a record 27th World Series crown. More