Twins get more from Morneau
LOS ANGELES -- At this time last weekend, a slumping Justin Morneau was going through some dark clouds. He received MRIs, cortisone shots and criticism for not playing with a sore elbow.
By Saturday, it appeared Morneau had finally cleared turbulence.
The Twins' power-hitting first baseman drove in four early runs, including a two-run home run in the third inning, in a 5-3 victory over the Dodgers before 53,354 at Dodger Stadium.
"It was the Morneau show today," said Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, who also delivered a key homer in the sixth inning.
Morneau tied his season high for RBIs, set May 24 against Cleveland. Since then, he has been immersed in a deep slump. He entered the night 4-for-35 (.114) with one RBI. On Thursday at Arizona, he hit his first homer since May 17.
"I stopped trying to do too much," Morneau said. "When I try to hit home runs is when I get into trouble."
With Derek Lowe (5-6) on the mound for Los Angeles, Twins hitters wasted little time being productive. Lew Ford hit a leadoff single and Luis Rodriguez doubled to start the game. Morneau, moved to the third spot for the first time with Joe Mauer getting a rest, simply looked to move the runners. He did one better by hitting a hard single through the middle that scored two runs.
"That first hit felt good, just to get it through there," Morneau said. "I haven't been picking up those RBIs like I had been. That was a little frustrating."
With Rodriguez on with a two-out single, Morneau smacked a Lowe 2-0 slider into the right-field bleachers and gave the Twins a commanding 4-0 lead. When Hunter added a solo homer in the sixth, it had the makings of an easy night for starter Carlos Silva.
But like trying to drive from point A to point B in fewer than 30 minutes, nothing appears to be as easy as it looks in Los Angeles.
Silva (5-3) had kept the ball on the ground much of the night and got two double plays, but felt a twinge in his right knee after striking out at the plate in the fifth inning. He has been playing much of the year with torn meniscus cartilage.
Jason Grabowski put the Dodgers on the scoreboard with a leadoff homer in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Hee-Seop Choi tattooed a 3-1 pitch 458 feet and into the right-field bleachers. Two batters later, Jeff Kent punched another home run to right field and made it a two-run game.
Silva was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, marking the first time he did not pitch seven innings in 11 starts this season.
"I don't think it's anything bad," said Silva, who allowed three runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. "I feel a little sore. I told the pitching coach I wasn't throwing my pitches the same way. I didn't want to hurt my arm."
Minnesota's bullpen shut down any chances of a comeback and retired nine in a row. J.C. Romero struck out four in two innings and Joe Nathan fanned two in the ninth for his 18th save.
Pitching saved the game late. It turned out that Morneau's run support saved it early.
On June 2, Morneau injured his elbow while swinging off a tee before a game. He complained of soreness and would not start the following four games. A magnetic resonance imaging test revealed a small bone spur inside his left elbow. It was another setback in a year that's seen the slugger downed by various ailments, including an early-season concussion from a beaning.
But this most recent injury was considered to be a minor one and some, including Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and Hunter, indirectly censured Morneau for not playing through it while the club was had several banged-up players. Morneau was never individually called out, but the direction of the remarks was clear.
Hunter felt that the issue was behind the 24-year-old slugger Saturday.
"He's smiling. He's cracking jokes and everything," Hunter said. "I think he's ready to play some ball. If he keeps that up, I think we can win a lot more games."
"When he's feeling good, you can see the damage he can do," Gardenhire said. "He's feeling good. It's good to see him out there."
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
By Saturday, it appeared Morneau had finally cleared turbulence.
The Twins' power-hitting first baseman drove in four early runs, including a two-run home run in the third inning, in a 5-3 victory over the Dodgers before 53,354 at Dodger Stadium.
"It was the Morneau show today," said Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, who also delivered a key homer in the sixth inning.
Morneau tied his season high for RBIs, set May 24 against Cleveland. Since then, he has been immersed in a deep slump. He entered the night 4-for-35 (.114) with one RBI. On Thursday at Arizona, he hit his first homer since May 17.
"I stopped trying to do too much," Morneau said. "When I try to hit home runs is when I get into trouble."
With Derek Lowe (5-6) on the mound for Los Angeles, Twins hitters wasted little time being productive. Lew Ford hit a leadoff single and Luis Rodriguez doubled to start the game. Morneau, moved to the third spot for the first time with Joe Mauer getting a rest, simply looked to move the runners. He did one better by hitting a hard single through the middle that scored two runs.
"That first hit felt good, just to get it through there," Morneau said. "I haven't been picking up those RBIs like I had been. That was a little frustrating."
With Rodriguez on with a two-out single, Morneau smacked a Lowe 2-0 slider into the right-field bleachers and gave the Twins a commanding 4-0 lead. When Hunter added a solo homer in the sixth, it had the makings of an easy night for starter Carlos Silva.
But like trying to drive from point A to point B in fewer than 30 minutes, nothing appears to be as easy as it looks in Los Angeles.
Silva (5-3) had kept the ball on the ground much of the night and got two double plays, but felt a twinge in his right knee after striking out at the plate in the fifth inning. He has been playing much of the year with torn meniscus cartilage.
Jason Grabowski put the Dodgers on the scoreboard with a leadoff homer in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Hee-Seop Choi tattooed a 3-1 pitch 458 feet and into the right-field bleachers. Two batters later, Jeff Kent punched another home run to right field and made it a two-run game.
Silva was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, marking the first time he did not pitch seven innings in 11 starts this season.
"I don't think it's anything bad," said Silva, who allowed three runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. "I feel a little sore. I told the pitching coach I wasn't throwing my pitches the same way. I didn't want to hurt my arm."
Minnesota's bullpen shut down any chances of a comeback and retired nine in a row. J.C. Romero struck out four in two innings and Joe Nathan fanned two in the ninth for his 18th save.
Pitching saved the game late. It turned out that Morneau's run support saved it early.
On June 2, Morneau injured his elbow while swinging off a tee before a game. He complained of soreness and would not start the following four games. A magnetic resonance imaging test revealed a small bone spur inside his left elbow. It was another setback in a year that's seen the slugger downed by various ailments, including an early-season concussion from a beaning.
But this most recent injury was considered to be a minor one and some, including Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and Hunter, indirectly censured Morneau for not playing through it while the club was had several banged-up players. Morneau was never individually called out, but the direction of the remarks was clear.
Hunter felt that the issue was behind the 24-year-old slugger Saturday.
"He's smiling. He's cracking jokes and everything," Hunter said. "I think he's ready to play some ball. If he keeps that up, I think we can win a lot more games."
"When he's feeling good, you can see the damage he can do," Gardenhire said. "He's feeling good. It's good to see him out there."
Source: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/
