Going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, which the Twins were on Wednesday, and missing a play in the outfield, like the one Eddie Rosario missed in the third inning that cost the Twins three runs, are too much to overcome when you're facing Stephen Strasburg with an offense low on octane.

Howie Kendrick sent a liner to right with two outs in the inning, a ball that should have been caught for the third and final out of the inning. Instead, Rosario got the wrong read on the ball and had it sail over his head for an RBI double.

Rosario was in right because Luis Arraez was in left, a position he's learning on the fly. He has only played in left, so Twins manager Rocco Baldelli felt it wasn't fair to stick him in right.

Rosario's mistake forced Martin Perez to throw more pitches in the inning, and one landed in the seats for a two-run homer. Perez wanted to pick up his teammate there, but those were three runs that shouldn't have scored.

La VELLE E. NEAL III