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Home | Sports | Twins

Duensing not careful enough

Barton Silverman, New York Times

New York Yankees third base coach Rob Thompson, left, congratulates shortstop Derek Jeter on his two-run homer as he rounds the bases behind Minnesota Twins pitcher Brian Duensing.

The Twins starter had orders to pitch around Alex Rodriguez in a close game but made a pitch too good.

Last update: October 8, 2009 - 7:37 AM

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NEW YORK - Lefthander Brian Duensing had made a couple of mistakes Wednesday, but the Twins were down 3-2 in the fifth, and it was decision time as pitching coach Rick Anderson went to the mound with Derek Jeter on second, two outs and Alex Rodriguez batting,

Rodriguez's postseason numbers in recent years have been beyond horrific. Since Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, Rodriguez was 0-for-29 with runners on base in the postseason, 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position and had stranded 40 Yankees on base.

Look deeper, and the last playoff series in which Rodriguez consistently damaged the opponent was the 2004 AL Division Series, when he batted .421 with three doubles a home and three RBI -- against the Twins.

Still, the Twins wanted Duensing to be careful with the Yankees star.

"What do you want to do?'' Anderson asked Duensing.

"Let's just go right after him.'' Duensing replied.

Anderson reminded Duensing that first base was open and he didn't have to throw Rodriguez anything too good.

What did Duensing do?

"I missed right in the middle,'' Duensing said, "and he hit it into the gap.''

The RBI single gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead and set the stage for the game to open up. Duensing, a rookie, was making his first trip to Yankee Stadium but didn't feel overwhelmed. He just felt he underperformed. Duensing had bailed out the rotation by following directions and going 5-1 as a starter but struggled on Wednesday.

"I let the guys down tonight,'' he said. "That's all I can say.''

He wasn't the only reason the Twins are down 1-0 to the Yankees in the American League Division Series.

In lifting Duensing, Gardenhire turned to lefthander Francisco Liriano, who had a 3.18 ERA against the Yankees this year, to keep the game within striking distance. Liriano, who landed on the disabled list in August because of a tired arm, had posted a 5.79 ERA over 9 1/3 innings since being activated. And he looks more unlike the phenom he was in 2006 than ever.

It didn't take long for that move to backfire. Hideki Matsui, a lefthanded hitter who batted .283 against lefties during the regular season, belted a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence for a two-run homer and a 6-2 lead.

It was the only hit Liriano gave up in two innings of work. But it was a doozy.

And it put the Twins in a hole they couldn't dig out of.

"We got Matsui, which I hate to face, too, and he throws a pitch over the plate,'' Gardenhire said. "He was just missing. The intention there, and Andy talked about it, was no strikes. If we get behind we put him on.

"We threw the strike, and there you have it.''

Two pitchers. Two orders that weren't carried out.

And the Twins are trailing in the series because of it.

And Rodriguez might have ended his postseason slump. Good luck on Friday.

La Velle E. Neal III • lneal@startribune.com

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