Continued: Span put on DL; Crain sent down

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Twins leadoff man Denard Span learned Tuesday that the cause of his recent dizzy spells is an inner-ear infection, nothing worse, but he still landed on the 15-day disabled list.

The Twins made the roster move after their 8-2 victory over Pittsburgh, promoting outfielder Jason Pridie from Class AAA Rochester.

Team physician Dr. Tom Jetzer had suspected the inner-ear infection last week, and a specialist confirmed it Tuesday, diagnosing Span with vestibular neuritis in his right ear. The vestibular nerve sends balance signals to the brain, so Span began taking medication to fight the virus.

The medical staff didn't expect Span to be ready to play until this weekend, so the Twins promoted Pridie, who batted .255 in 60 games for Rochester.

Because Span last played June 9, he'll be eligible to come off the DL on June 25. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Span might be sent on a minor league rehab assignment once he feels better.

"It's the right thing to do," Gardenhire said. "We'll take care of the young man, make sure he gets well."

Crain sent to minors

When the Twins officially activated Glen Perkins from the 15-day DL on Tuesday, their corresponding roster move was a surprise, as they optioned reliever Jesse Crain to Class AAA Rochester.

Crain hasn't pitched in the minors since 2004. He entered the season with a 3.26 career ERA but is 2-3 with an 8.15 ERA in 23 appearances.

"It was a tough one sending Jesse out, but he needs it right now," Gardenhire said. "He can help us down the road, if he can go find everything and find the zone and get his pitches back together.

"He'll make the most of it. He'll go down and work his butt off and get back up here."

Crain, 27, almost had reached the point where he could refuse a minor league assignment. A player is granted that right once he reaches five years of major league service time; Crain is only 37 days short.

The Twins want Crain to rack up innings at Rochester, so he can hone his sinker and curveball. He still has above-average stuff, but his command has been off all season.

With his performance lagging, Crain managed just 172/3 innings, compared to more than 29 for fellow righthanders Matt Guerrier and Luis Ayala. Gardenhire spoke of how tough it was finding the right spots for Crain, and Sunday's loss against the Cubs was the final straw.

"I'd been thinking about this for a while," Gardenhire said. "Finally we got in a situation where he had to pitch, and it didn't work out again. The confidence is not there right now. We need him to get confidence and get him going."

Etc.

• Michael Cuddyer returned to the lineup after missing two games because of more inflammation in his right index finger. He said he didn't have the finger drained but did have a cortisone shot, which reduced the inflammation.

• Joe Crede, who missed Sunday's game because of lower-back stiffness, also returned to the lineup, saying the back felt better. Crede speculated that the long travel on the 10-game road trip -- to Seattle, Oakland and Chicago -- was a factor.

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