Without Morneau, and With 'Good-Time Baseball,' Twins Close in on Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS -- Ron Gardenhire came off the field Friday night singing Earth, Wind and Fire to himself:

"You're a shining star, no matter who you are."

That's been true this week for Gardenhire's Twins.

Since Monday, when Minnesota declared star cleanup hitter Justin Morneau out for the season because of a stress fracture in his lower back, the Twins have made up 2 1/2 games on the Tigers to turn the AL Central into a race.

Michael Cuddyer, moved from right field to first base since Morneau went down, hit a two-run homer Friday as Minnesota downed Detroit 3-0 in the opener of a three-game series.

The Tigers' lead is down to three games, with 15 to go.

In four games in Morneau's absence, Cuddyer is 9-for-20 (.450) with three homers and 10 RBI.

"It must be something in the dirt over there [by first base]," Cuddyer said.

Said Morneau, "We'll take it over to the new park." (Target Field opens next April.)

Cuddyer had played first base before, but losing Morneau forced him to become a regular there and for usual DH Jason Kubel to play right field. And Gardenhire has inserted September call-up Matt Tolbert at third base, a position he played 44 times in six minor-league seasons.

"Be an athlete, and play the game," Cuddyer said. "Don't worry about, 'I haven't been here in a couple of days,' or 'It's not my position, it's not what I'm used to.'

"We don't have time for that right now."

There's a sense of urgency, sure. And before the Twins played in front of their biggest home crowd since Aug. 15, Gardenhire didn't tell his players to pretend it wasn't a big game."I've been through a few of these, pennant races and playoffs, and this is the time you sit back and enjoy it. ... This is fun stuff. This is good-time baseball."
-- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire

"Sit back and enjoy it," he said. "I've been through a few of these, pennant races and playoffs, and this is the time you sit back and enjoy it. Don't just go through the game with out really looking around. Enjoy it. This is fun stuff. This is good-time baseball."

Rookie lefty Brian Duensing did that, soaking up the energy from the large crowd while holding the Tigers to four hits (and 0-for-5 with men in scoring position) over 6 1/3 innings.

When he departed, after a trip/dive at Brandon Inge's dribbler resulted in an infield hit, he got a standing ovation.

"It kind of gave me chills," said Duensing (4-1 with 13 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings). "I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't know whether to acknowledge it or just keep walking."

He did the latter, making it seem like he was as calm coming off the mound as he was on it.

"It's no time to be scared," Cuddyer said. "That's the truth. There's no reason to be scared. We're the ones wit h the uphill climb. We're not expected to make this comeback. We've got nothing to lose. No reason to be scared. Just go out and play."

The game started with Rick Porcello matching Duensing and the teams looking tentative, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Then, with Kubel on in the fourth inning, Cuddyer launched a belt-high fastball 413 feet to break the ice.

"Those first runs were important," Gardenhire said. "It got us really excited."

Not every team would respond this way to the loss of a main cog; witness Tampa Bay with Carlos Pena or Texas with Michael Young.

"Your backs are to the wall," Gardenhire said. "You've got to fight. You've got to scratch. We start losing now we're done, and I don't think anybody wants to be done."

Maybe Favremania can wait a bit.

The Twins have matched their season highs by winning five straight and getting to three games over .500. Minnesota was last three games over .500 exactly two months ago.

Yet despite all that mediocrity, the Twins are right in the race -- especially with six more head-to-head meetings with the Tigers.

Detroit will try to stifle Minnesota's run Saturday with ace Justin Verlander. But he will be matched against Carl Pavano, who despite being 8-11 with a 5.62 ERA against the rest of humanity is 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA against the Tigers.

He'll be cheered on by Morneau, who is still with the team every day, spending his time rooting instead of ripping.

Has anyone dropped a "Wally Pipp" on him yet?

"No, no, no, no," Cuddyer said with a laugh. "I think his job's safe."