I know most of you out there don’t come to this blog for baseball news you could get anywhere else, but I had to cover the Twins a little after a very interesting game yesterday.
 
The Twins grabbed an early lead, just as they did in the last two games at Boston.  And just as they did in those last two games at Boston, they quickly gave it up.  Kevin Slowey was rocked for six runs on ten hits in 3 2/3 innings.  With the overworked bullpen coming in, I thought for sure the game was over.  But Craig Breslow, Jesse Crain, Dennys Reyes, Joe Nathan, and Matt Guerrier worked their magic for 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing the Twins to tie the game in the ninth, then take the lead in the eleventh.
 
Justin Morneau won it with a homer in the 11th, his fifth hit of the day.  Denard Span, batting out of the #9 spot, went 4-for-4 with a walk, while Nick Punto, batting eighth, went 3-for-4 with a walk.  Add that all up, and those three combined to reach base 15 times in 16 plate appearances, an OBP of .938, and a SLG% of 1.125.  For Morneau to have such a big day, that can be expected from time to time; he’s a former MVP.  For Denard Span to have such a big day, well, that was totally unpredictable considering he has very limited major league experience.  But for Nick Punto to be swinging such a hot bat, that’s out of left field altogether.  After his big day, Punto is batting over .320.  Not .220.  He is hitting better than .320.  This is the same guy who had one of the single worst offensive seasons in the history of baseball last year. 
 
The win was huge for the Twins, who didn’t want this seven-game road trip before the break to go spiraling out of control.  Now the question is when will Denard Span take over for Carlos Gomez as the leadoff hitter?  Span is hitting like a madman right now and is actually patient at the plate—things that are typical of a good leadoff hitter.  Gomez is mired in an 0-for-14 slump, and with his impatient approach, is much better suited batting ninth.  My guess is Span will be batting leadoff before the series in Detroit is over.