Punto's drop, stop and roll takes the prize on a day of fielding gems

Placido Polanco and Nick Punto were teammates briefly in 2002 and then through the 2003 season in Philadelphia. On Wednesday, Polanco was at his familiar second base spot for Detroit and Punto was playing shortstop for the Twins.

"I learned more from Polanco about playing the game than anyone," Punto said. "He's so fundamentally sound. He's always under control. He makes every routine play, and he'll also come up with the great play."

Polanco is also an effective hitter, particularly in clutch situations. He came into Wednesday's game batting .364 with runners in scoring position (24-for-66) and with two outs and runners in scoring position (12-for-33).

Twins righthander Nick Blackburn made a start against Detroit in mid-April. Polanco made an impression on the rookie.

Asked Wednesday about Polanco as a clutch hitter, Blackburn said: "He's not easy any time. It's hard to figure out his approach. He fouls everything off. He's just a tough out."

Blackburn and Eddie Bonine, a Detroit rookie righthander, made it through two scoreless innings in this Metrodome matinee.

Clete Thomas opened the Tigers' third with a single. Edgar Renteria flied out to center, then Dane Sardinha hit a soft liner that appeared ready to drop behind second. Punto raced to make a catch.

Curtis Granderson followed with a drive into the right-center gap. Right fielder Denard Span raced to cut it off, holding Granderson at first and forcing Thomas to stop at third.

"Denard saved a run cutting off that ball," bench coach Steve Liddle said. "Saved another run later. Saved two runs by cutting off balls in the gap."

Polanco was next and it was his type of situation: runner on third, two outs. And he came through with a bouncer up the middle that was earmarked for center field.

Punto dashed to his left and dived behind the white line marking the infield. On his belly, he was able to reach the ball with a stretch, and he sent it rolling toward second in the same motion.

"I knew Granderson was running," he said. "I knew there wasn't time to do anything but slap the ball and hope it went toward second."

Now, here came the Punto slap rolling toward him. Casilla stretched to his left, snagged the ball as he belly-flopped into the dirt and still kept contact with the base.

Umpire James Hoye stayed with the play and saw that Granderson was a foot short of the bag when Casilla had control of the ball. He gave a fist pump to signal the third out.

Simultaneously, Blackburn gave a fist pump of celebration in the direction of his infielders. What did he tell Punto back in the dugout?

"Great play," he said. "Same thing I told Alexi, and Denard. I had to start throwing the ball better. There's no way they could keep making plays like that for me every inning."

Blackburn wound up allowing one hit over the next four innings. He left with a three-hitter and seven scoreless innings.

The Twins now have the six-series winning streak with a 15-3 record. And they have gone from being decimated by infield injuries to being confident with Casilla as the everyday second baseman, and with Punto and Brendan Harris to choose from at shortstop.

"We'll get 'em all in there," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We'll play Nicky, because he's our best fielder at all three positions, and we'll start hitting the Hair Dog [Harris] a few balls at third base, and hear him complain about that."

There was no complaining Wednesday -- other than a mild protest from Casilla, when reporters tried to ask about his involvement in that third out of the third.

"Talk to Nicky," he said. "Nicky was the one. I did nothing."

There's your Upstart Twins of '08, both cuddly and humble.