Quality goes a long way again

Jerry Holt, Star Tribune

Nick Blackburn pitched a complete game.

Nick Blackburn missed a shutout, but the series win and complete game were worth more to his team.

By JOE CHRISTENSEN, Star Tribune

Last update: July 5, 2009 - 11:12 PM

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TWINS 6, DETROIT 2

Up next: Three-game series vs. New York Yankees • Game 1: 7:10 p.m. Tuesday • Metrodome • TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn learned he wasn't named to the American League All-Star squad Sunday, and he was two outs from his first career shutout when Detroit's Brandon Inge smashed a two-run homer into the Metrodome's left-field seats.

Upsetting? Hardly.

"It was a big game for us to win," Blackburn said after the Twins' 6-2 victory. "It was a big series to win. We picked up another one. You can't be upset about that."

The Twins have won the rubber game in four consecutive series, moving a season-high three games over .500, and this one pulled them within two games of the first-place Tigers.

Blackburn (7-4) happily settled for his third complete game in four starts. He lowered his ERA to 2.94 with his ninth consecutive quality start -- at least six innings pitched, three or fewer runs allowed. According to Baseball-Reference.com, the only AL pitcher to reel off 10 consecutive quality starts this year is Cleveland's Cliff Lee.

No wonder Blackburn's teammates acted surprised when he wasn't at least listed among five finalists for the AL's 33rd All-Star spot.

"[Blackburn] was one of the guys that was so consistent this first half, and I think that almighty win total might have hurt his chances," said Twins closer Joe Nathan, who was selected to the All-Star team again, along with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. "That's tough, because it's something that's out of your control."

Case in point: In his nine consecutive quality starts, Blackburn has four wins, two losses and three no-decisions.

Detroit's Rick Porcello (8-6) cruised through Sunday's first three innings before the Twins erupted to score all six of their runs in the fourth. Mauer hit a one-out single and Morneau followed with his fifth homer in seven games and 21st of the season.

Delmon Young hit a run-scoring single before the floodgates opened on an error by Tigers shortstop Adam Everett. Ranging to his right to field Denard Span's bases-loaded single, Everett tried to force Nick Punto at second and his leaping throw sailed into foul territory. Three runs scored.

Manager Ron Gardenhire noted how important it was to win the series, calling Saturday's 4-3 victory "huge," especially after Friday's 16-inning loss.

"We came back today with confidence, and their guy [Porcello] was really tough," Gardenhire said. "The ball was diving all over the place. We've only faced him one other time, so once we finally put some swings on him -- the big guy [Mauer], and then Morneau kind of got everybody rolling."

Gardenhire did grumble about his team's inability to add to its lead. And he wasn't thrilled with the ending.

With one out in the Tigers ninth, Don Kelly hit a fly ball to left-center field. Inserted as a defensive replacement that inning, center fielder Carlos Gomez lost the ball in the roof. Left fielder Span made a late stab, and the ball deflected off his glove for an error. Inge followed with his 19th homer.

"When you drop an easy fly ball out there, there's no excuse for that," Gardenhire said. But the manager added, "It doesn't take away from what [Blackburn] did. He gave our bullpen a complete day off, which is nice."

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