The Twins are batting .211 during their current homestand, and that came into play once again on Thursday.
Getting that key hit is eluding this team and it is costing them games. They were 2-for-12 in run scoring situations last night as they fell to David Price and the Tigers 4-2. Twins righthander Mike Pelfrey did his best to keep the game close, but Ian Kinsler got him twice, and that was the game.
Tonight will mark the Target Field debut of righthander Ervin Santana as he squares off against righthander Justin Verlander. Santana tossed eight strong innings last weekend in Kansas City and is trying to make up for the 80 games he missed due to a PED suspension. He is 8-3 with a 3.01 ERA against the Tigers in his career.
Tigers righthander Justin Verlander has won 10 of his last 11 decisions against the Twins. But he just rejoined the Tigers last month after coming off the disabled list.
Danny Santana, like he has frequently over the last week or so, is working on his bunting during early batting practice. Yesterday, he popped up a couple of bunt attempts, leading one scout to wonder if some kid was on the field with the adults. ``I thought it was Torii throwing to one of his sons,'' he said.
Everything is a process, and so is mastering the bunt. I remember when Coco Crisp reached the majors with Cleveland, they had him bunt the entire first round of batting practice. He became a pretty good bunter - before he started swinging for the fences.
Will check back with lineups and any updates
Tigers
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Yoenis Cespedes, LF
Victor Martinez, DH
J.D. Martinez, RF
Alex Avila, C
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Marc Krauss, 1B
Anthony Gose, CF
Jose Iglesias, SS
Justin Verlander, RHP
Twins
Brian Dozier, 2B
Torii Hunter, RF
Joe Mauer, 1B
Miguel Sano, DH
Trevor Plouffe, 3B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Aaron Hicks, CF
Kurt Suzuki, C
Danny Santana, SS
Ervin Santana, RHP
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La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
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