The Twins record their players' weights each week, and when Miguel Sano stepped on the scale Sunday, he said, he weighed 263 pounds.
Despite that imposing size, Sano says, "I'm fast."
As if to prove it, the 6-4 Sano took off for second base in the sixth inning, beating the throw from Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes with room to spare. The play was supposed to be a hit-and-run, Sano said, but Eddie Rosario missed the sign. Not that Sano minded — it was his first major league stolen base (in two tries) and gave him another unusual distinction: He's the heaviest Twin ever to steal a base. And he wants more.
"I steal bases all the time" in the minor leagues, Sano insisted, and it's true; Sano stole 11 bases at Fort Myers and New Britain two seasons ago, and he had eight at Beloit in 2012. "Up here, they don't give me too many [steal signs]."
Twins manager Paul Molitor sounded willing to try it again.
"He runs better than people think," Molitor said.
Joe the spoiler
It probably isn't too surprising that Joe Mauer broke up Corey Kluber's no-hitter in the seventh inning last Sunday, then collected the Twins' only hit off Kluber in Friday's rematch with the Indians ace. Foiling no-hitters is what Mauer does.
"I've been in that situation a few times," Mauer said. "It's fun to get that big hit with something on the line."
And last week's examples weren't the biggest. According to Elias Sport Bureau, Mauer is one of two players who have broken up three no-hitters in the ninth inning, doing so with a one-out single against Detroit's Anibal Sanchez in 2013, a one-out single off Texas reliever Neftali Feliz (spoiling a four-man no-hitter) in 2010 and a two-out double off Chicago's Gavin Floyd in 2008.
"I won't say you bear down any more when your team doesn't have any hits, but you're definitely aware of it and you definitely want to make sure you have the best at-bat you can in those situations," Mauer said. "You don't want to waste that opportunity."
Back to Rochester
Michael Tonkin's latest cameo in a Twins uniform lasted only two-thirds of an inning, and the righthanded reliever was understandably frustrated by that, Molitor said.
"He was disappointed," Molitor said. "We always give them a chance to speak their piece, and it's frustrating for him, I'm sure."
Tonkin was recalled from Class AAA Rochester on Friday — his fourth such summons this season — then pitched that night against the Indians, giving up one run and allowing two hits. He was returned to Rochester on Saturday, after the Twins decided to return Trevor May to the bullpen and give Tyler Duffey another start.
"We tried to remind him, adversity is how you're going to develop over time," Molitor said. "… Maybe it's not the fairest thing in the short term, but it's just the way it is."
Etc.
• Byron Buxton survived a collision with the center field wall Sunday to collect three hits in Rochester's 3-2 victory over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, including his first Class AAA home run and the winning single in the 12th inning. Buxton is batting .404 with six RBI for the Red Wings and has a hit in all 11 Class AAA games in which he has played.
• Ricky Nolasco has made progress in his recovery from ankle surgery but isn't ready to begin throwing on level ground, much less off a mound. And with only seven weeks remaining in the regular season, General Manager Terry Ryan said the chances of the righthander pitching again in 2015 are slim.
"We're starting to run out of calendar, that's for sure," Ryan said. "It's a long shot. And it's getting longer every day."
