Tue Apr 22 13:03:04 2008

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Twins snap out of funk just in time for road trip

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(Sports Network) - If the Minnesota Twins have shown one thing through three weeks of play, it's that they're not going to back down from anyone.

That was evident this past weekend against the Indians, when Minnesota needed to stop the bleeding after losing five of its previous six games. And the Twins did just that, riding the right arm of young starter Nick Blackburn to a 3-0 win on Saturday, then escaping with a 2-1 win on Sunday thanks to Justin Morneau's walk-off single in the 10th inning. Center fielder Carlos Gomez kept the Twins' hopes alive in Sunday's outing with a game-saving diving catch in the ninth.

The formula for Minnesota's success seams pretty clear: strong pitching from both the starters and the relievers. Consider, Blackburn and Scott Baker allowed a total of just two runs in those wins Saturday and Sunday, at a time when the team desperately needed it.

The relievers have also done their part, allowing just one earned run over the last five games. The bullpen's performance is especially rewarding in the wake of a pair of losses in Detroit last week, in which the relievers were roughed up for nine runs in three innings.

"Following up Blackburn's performance (on Saturday), our starting pitching has been great," Morneau told the team's official Web site after delivering the game-winner on Sunday. "(The starting pitching has) given us a chance to win pretty much every game. Then you get into the bullpen, which we feel is as good as any one in the league. We feel we can win a lot of games with that formula."

Manager Ron Gardenhire went as far as to say the bullpen is the strength of the team, saying of the relievers, "They all attack, they never back away."

Gardenhire knows his team is not suited to win a whole lot of slugfest-type games. After all, the Twins have scored the second-fewest runs in the American League (71), and they scored the third-fewest last season.

Livan Hernandez (3-0) looks to continue the stretch of solid pitching on Tuesday, when the Twins kick off their six-game road trip in Oakland.

MAY WE ASSIST YOU?

Outfielder Michael Cuddyer is known for gunning down baserunners with his big arm, as evidenced by his major league-leading 19 assists last season. Yet with Cuddyer on the disabled list, the Twins continue to lead the majors in outfield assists.

The coaches knew the type of player they'd be getting when the team acquired Delmon Young, and Young has certainly lived up to the hype with his arm, having tallied three assists thus far. He had 16 last year.

"Young has got a cannon," Gardenhire told the team's official Web site. "(Center fielder Chris Gomez) can throw it. (Jason) Kubel doesn't throw too awful bad. When Cuddyer gets back, that gives us three pretty good arms in the outfield."

Cuddyer's replacement, Denard Span, has rung up a pair of baserunners.

THE INFIRMARY

Speaking of Cuddyer, he is hopeful of returning to the lineup this weekend in Texas. In order to do that, he'll need to get through a rehab assignment with his dislocated right finger, which he admitted has been slow to heal.

Shortstop Adam Everett, who had been taking cortisone shots to ease the pain in his right shoulder, has been placed on the disabled list. The move is retroactive to last Tuesday. To take his place, the team called up Brian Buscher from Triple-A Rochester.

Right-hander Kevin Slowey is in the midst of a rehab assignment, and pitched three solid innings on Monday for Fort Myers. The 23-year-old was placed on the disabled list with a right biceps strain a day after taking a loss in his season debut against the Angels. He is scheduled to make three rehab starts.

WHO'S HOT

Second baseman Brendan Harris (.322) has been swinging a hot bat through the season's first month.

WHO'S NOT

Third baseman Mike Lamb hasn't been, with a .145 batting average through 16 games.

A LOOK AHEAD

Hernandez (3-0, 3.00) will take on Joe Blanton (1-3, 4.24) when the Twins kick off their series with the A's tonight. On Wednesday, it will be Boof Bonser (1-3, 4.70) against Chad Gaudin (1-1, 4.76). And on Thursday, Francisco Liriano (0-2, 6.52) looks to solve his command problems when he takes on Greg Smith (1-0, 3.00).

Blackburn (1-1, 2.49) will be on the hill for the Twins when they head to Texas on Friday.