Here are three thoughts following the Twins 7-2 win over the Cubs

PLOUFFE'S UNEVEN NIGHT: Trevor Plouffe could not get past second base on Friday. He was doubled off second base in the first inning as Kurt Suzuki lined back to Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks. He was also on second base in the third and fifth innings, took bad reads on balls hit back to the Kendricks both times and was eventually tagged out. ``It wasn't my finest hour out there on the bases," Plouffe said. Twins manager Paul Molitor joked after that game that all he's done for eight years in the Twins system was help Plouffe with his baserunning. He actually took some of the blame for it. ``I've might have made a mistake about planting seeds about the possibility of stealing third off that guy," Molitor said. ``When you don't go you have to get your focus back to reading the ball off the bat." Brian Dozier did steal third off Kendricks in the fifth inning, the third time the Twins have stolen third this season. Joe Mauer and Shane Robinson were the other two.

PHIL HUGHES AND THE CHANGE UP: ``The Twins want Phil Hughes to use his change up more, but the righthander is not going to whip it out in highly-leveraged situations. With early run support, Hughes said he threw about eight changeups, with varied results. ``I threw a couple OK ones, a couple that weren't great," he said, ``but at least kind of showed them something to mix it up a little bit. You don't really want to lean on your fourth pitch when things are tight. Having the luxury of a lead is always nice." This is Team Changeup now, so Hughes will probably be encouraged to throw some every game. ``He kept trying it," Molitor said, ``which, I think, over the course of the second half will be a pitch he will continue to use more."

ROSARIO IMPRESSES: Molitor batted Eddie Rosario second on Friday and watched the rookie go 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Rosario also earned high praise from the manager for taking advantage of Cubs shortstop Starling Castro in the first inning. Castro had just committed an error on Plouffe's grounder and was sulking about it. The play was still live, and Castro held the ball. Rosario was held up at third by third base coach Gene Glynn, but Rosario took off for home and scored when he saw Castro's head down. What a way to impress Molitor, the baserunning savant. ``It's an alert play," Molitor said. ``A lot of people, even our own dugout, didn't see what transpired. That guy kind of letting his guard down a little bit. I like those plays. They can be momentum shifters for you. (Rosario is) doing a lot of good things."