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South Side rout has downside in beaning

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Denard Span took a fastball to the helmet in the Twins' otherwise comfortable shutout of the fading White Sox.

By LA VELLE E. NEAL III, Star Tribune

Last update: September 22, 2009 - 12:21 PM

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TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 0

Up next: 7:11 tonight at Chicago

TV: FSN (1500-AM)

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CHICAGO - Nick Blackburn had a strong outing Monday during the Twins' 7-0 stroll past the White Sox, something the Twins need to see more from him as they try to run down the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.

But the last thing they needed to see was Denard Span laid out after being hit in the head by a Randy Williams fastball in the sixth inning. Their versatile outfielder and leadoff hitter said he has a mild concussion, which could affect the Twins' postseason chase.

Manager Ron Gardenhire said after the game that Span should be fine.

"He took a pretty good whack," Gardenhire said. "A little dizzy. He said he's a little light-headed right now. They checked him out. Everything seems to be OK. We'll just call it day-to-day."

Dizzy should be a dirty word in the Twins clubhouse. Span had the same feeling for most of June when he was diagnosed with vestibular neuritis and spent two weeks on the disabled list. Justin Morneau complained of dizziness in August and missed several games.

"I've been pretty much dizzy the whole season," Span joked, "so I'm all right."

But he wasn't. Span sounded as if he was crossing his fingers that he would wake up today as though nothing happened. He brought up how the Mets' David Wright was hit in the head by a fastball clocked at 94 miles per hour earlier in the season.

"I don't want to think about baseball," Span said. "Just go home and try to relax, get my mind off of baseball and see how I feel [in the morning]."

The Twins led 4-0 with one out in the sixth when White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen brought in Williams. Span fouled off a pitch before a 91 mph fastball nailed him in the back of the helmet. He turned his head away as the ball approached, and it struck him just above the neck.

"I saw his arm [come forward], then I just froze," Span said. "I couldn't do anything. It happened so quick where I didn't realize I was hit until I was on the ground. Really shocked more than anything."

Guillen called over to the visitors dugout to make sure Span wasn't seriously injured.

While Span watched replays of the beaning in the clubhouse, Blackburn (11-11) pitched seven shutout innings as the Twins closed within 2 1/2 games of the Tigers with 12 to play. Blackburn is 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA in five starts this year vs. the White Sox, who lost for the fifth time in six games.

"I had everything going pretty well tonight," he said.

Pitching coach Rick Anderson pointed out that, two starts ago, Blackburn threw 42 pitches before he threw his first curveball. Monday, he threw his entire arsenal: 14 changeups, 16 curves and 17 sliders among his 101 pitches.

Blackburn looked like the pitcher who went 8-4 before the All-Star break and was arguably the Twins' most reliable starter. He won back-to-back starts for the first time since early July but is only 3-7 since the break as he has struggled with various issues.

"There's been small adjustments made all year," he said. "I think the biggest deal recently is just not trying to do too much and just convince myself to throw a pitch than try to make a pitch. And trust that it's going to get there and trust that the movement is going to get it down."

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