Eddie Rosario was on deck Sunday as Brian Dozier batted — for the second time — in the first inning. Rosario suddenly walked over to hitting coach James Rowson, who was standing behind the rail front of the dugout.
The two exchanged a few words. Rosario patted him on the shoulder and returned to the on-deck area.
"He was just refreshing himself if the ball was going to cut, be straight, or sink," Rowson said. "So he was worried about pitch movement at that time, trying to remind himself of what it was."
Dozier walked to load the bases, bringing Rosario up. He fell behind 0-2, but Diamondbacks righthander Braden Shipley threw him a belt-high fastball that he was able to crank on.
Rosario drove the ball over the right-field wall for a grand slam, one that topped off the Twins' nine-run first inning, led them to a 12-5 win over the Diamondbacks and was the latest example of a team on a tear at the plate.
"That goes to show you what he has been doing and why he's been so good," Rowson said. "He's been prepared every at-bat."
The Twins head into the Windy City for a five-game series against the White Sox on a roll. They swept Arizona, have won four straight and 11 of their past 14.
The nine-run first was the third time in club history they have scored that many in a first inning. So the special inning allowed righthander Bartolo Colon to achieve a special feat. Colon gave up four runs over six innings — including three solo home runs — to improve to 5-10. But Arizona was the only team Colon had not beaten in his 20-year career. Now he has at least one win against every major league team, one of 18 pitchers to do so.
