Three HRs hit in five Target Field games

This year's first homestand reinforced Target Field's reputation as a tough home run park.

Over five games, the Twins and their opponents combined to hit three home runs -- with all of them coming Sunday in Oakland's 5-3 victory.

The Twins were baffled Tuesday night when Jason Kubel's 10th-inning drive was nearly caught by Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur.

"I thought Kubel's was going to be in the upper deck," third baseman Danny Valencia said. "I mean, he crushed it."

The Twins hit only two homers in six games on their first road trip and one on the homestand -- Jim Thome's epic shot over the batter's eye Sunday.

"I think maybe as we get toward the summer, a little hot air out there, we'll see what happens because at the end of last year, the ball was flying around pretty good," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The one thing we know, Thome doesn't have any problems. When he hits them, they go, so I think we'll just follow his lead.

"But it's a big ballpark, we know that. And that gives our pitchers a place where they can throw the ball."

Gardenhire said he wouldn't be afraid to use Luke Hughes at shortstop to spell Casilla "if [Casilla] continues to wave at the ball like he's been doing. I need him to swing, and I told him [Tuesday] night, 'Swing the bat, son.' So hopefully he'll get going."

Gardenhire said Casilla looks tentative.

"I think he's trying not to make mistakes, rather than just going [all out] again," Gardenhire said. "That's not what we saw in spring training. He was a guy all over the field. That's what we hope to get back to. We know it's in there, we've just got to get it out."

Tolbert went 2-for-5 with a double but also committed a first-inning throwing error.

Plouffe injured Class AAA Rochester infielder Trevor Plouffe suffered a minor concussion Tuesday night diving for a ball and hitting his face. He was checked by a doctor Wednesday and felt better, Twins minor league director Jim Rantz said. There's hope Plouffe will be ready to play again Saturday, so he won't be placed on the seven-day disabled list.

"We're starting to put some good swings on the ball and score a few runs," Gardenhire said. "Those are good signs, but you still need to win ballgames at home and win series, and we still didn't do that."

A first-inning first The Twins finally scored a run before the third inning, something they hadn't accomplished in their first 10 games. But after Denard Span scored that first-inning run Wednesday, they missed more opportunities.