MINNEAPOLIS – Dealing with a depleted lineup, the Minnesota Twins might be starting to take opponents by surprise.

Scott Baker pitched a five-hitter for his fourth career complete game and Alexi Casilla had three hits and scored two runs, leading the Twins to an 8-1 win over Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Delmon Young had three hits and two RBIs for Minnesota, which has won eight of 11.

“We are in last place, so we are not in a tight race like over there,” Casilla said. “So, the pressure is not on us. It’s on the guys on top. So, we’ve been playing without pressure. Just relax and try to go back to .500.”

Baker (4-4) struck out seven in his first complete game since Aug. 14, 2009.

The Twins scored five runs in the first against Colby Lewis (5-7), who allowed six runs and seven hits in 1 1-3 innings.

“I think we all saw a little bit of an ambush there early in the game,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Guys were running around and putting the ball in the right spots.”

Slowly, the defending AL Central champions are starting to regain their form despite a rash of injuries. The resurgence has been spurred by some unlikely sources.

Given the shortstop job out of spring training, Casilla struggled to hit and field. With his everyday job having slipped away, Casilla has responded by hitting .326 since May 15 and providing the speed and defense Gardenhire was seeking.

Since being recalled from the minors June 2, Ben Revere has hit safely in 12 of his 14 games and is batting .295.

He’s also done the job defensively. Filling in for center fielder Denard Span (concussion), Revere made a running catch at the wall to take away extra bases from Adrian Beltre and received a standing ovation after stretching out for a diving catch on a drive by David Murphy.

“They’re going to be called upon until we can get our guys back,” Gardenhire said of the young fill-ins. “I think they’ve enjoyed getting out there. This is a time when they want to show they can do something. They took some pitches, didn’t panic and that’s a good thing.”

And help might soon be on the way for the Twins.

While first baseman Justin Morneau missed his second straight game with a sore left wrist, other players are making progress with their rehab assignments.

Joe Mauer caught three straight games for Class-A Fort Myers, hitting a home run on Friday. Second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka went to Triple-A Rochester. Outfielder and designated hitter Jason Kubel participated in batting practice with the team, and closer Joe Nathan traveled to Fort Myers to take the next step in his rehab after a successful bullpen session Saturday.

They weren’t needed against Lewis on Saturday.

Revere and Span led off the bottom of the first with singles, igniting a five-run inning. Michael Cuddyer hit a sacrifice fly. Brian Dinkelman added a two-run single for his first career RBIs and Matt Tolbert capped the scoring with an RBI single.

Lewis struggled for the second straight start and has allowed 15 runs in his last 4 2-3 innings. He gave up nine runs in 3 1-3 innings against Detroit on June 6.

“I guess everybody goes through it,” Lewis said. “You just try to rebound as fast as you can from it. That’s all you can do. Prepare yourself the same way you’ve been doing things; it’s not like I feel like I have to go out and change anything dramatically.”

The right-hander’s troubles have mainly come against left-handed hitters, causing Gardenhire to stack his lineup with all his available lefties. Entering the game, left-handers were hitting .310 against Lewis while righties had a .190 mark.

Batting from the left side, Minnesota went 5 for 6 with a walk against Lewis.

“If you go look back at it, everything was up in the zone and out over the dish,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “I could stand up there at 59 years old, throw it up in the zone out over the dish and see what happens to it.”

Baker didn’t have any issues against Texas’ usually potent offense.

He was perfect through four innings before Adrian Beltre connected for a leadoff double off the right-field wall in the fifth. Josh Hamilton, who had three homers and 10 RBIs in his previous eight games, struck out three times against Baker, who threw 80 of his 112 pitches for strikes.

“I think you saw they did hit some balls hard,” Baker said. “They just happened to hit it at guys. That’s what you can do when you have a decent lead like that, just attack guys and allow them to put the ball in play.”

Beltre’s double was the lone hit against Baker until the eighth, when Mike Napoli singled with two outs. Murphy then had a run-scoring hit.

NOTES: Morneau was going to see a hand specialist to evaluate his wrist and Gardenhire said he will be out until at least Tuesday. Gardenhire also said Nishioka could be ready to join the Twins by “midweek.” … Mauer took a day off in his rehab at Fort Myers, but is expected to catch Sunday and Monday with a possibility of catching Tuesday as well. … Texas reliever Dave Bush left the game with a bruised hamstring and is day to day. Bush was hit in the leg by Revere’s comebacker in the sixth, but pitched another inning before leaving. … The Rangers are in the middle of playing 17 of 20 games away from home. They had won five of their last six on the road before arriving in Minnesota, but have dropped two of three in the four-game series. … Baker’s strikeout of Nelson Cruz in the eighth was the 725th of his career, passing Kevin Tapani for 10th place in Twins history.

Read More: twins baseball, minnesota twins baseball, rangers baseball, texas rangers baseball, rangers at twins, rangers vs twins, rangers twins recap, Jim Thome (DH – MIN), David Murphy (LF – TEX), Delmon Young (LF – MIN), Mike Napoli (C – TEX), Joe Mauer (C – MIN), Justin Morneau (1B – MIN), Jason Kubel (DH – MIN), Michael Cuddyer (RF – MIN), Alexi Casilla (2B – MIN), Scott Baker (P – MIN), Francisco Liriano (P – MIN), Matt Harrison (P – TEX), Denard Span (CF – MIN), Rene Rivera (C – MIN), Matt Tolbert (2B – MIN), Brian Dinkelman (2B – MIN), Danny Valencia (3B – MIN), Rene Tosoni (RF – MIN), Ben Revere (CF – MIN), Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, Jun 11, 2011 3:10 PM CDT

A day after the Texas Rangers lit up the Minnesota Twins for a seven-run inning, the Twins returned the favor, plating five runs in the first and not allowing Rangers’ starter Colby Lewis to escape the second inning in an 8-1 thumping of the Rangers on Saturday afternoon at Target Field.

Despite once again fielding a lineup that did not include Denard Span, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Jason Kubel, or Jim Thome, the Twins battered Lewis around, touching him up for six runs on seven hits in just 1.1 innings of work. Ben Revere and Alexi Casilla led off the inning for the Twins with consecutive singles, with Revere advancing to third on Casilla’s hit and coming in to score on Michael Cuddyer’s sacrifice fly. A Delmon Young single to left allowed Casilla to advance to third, and Casilla came in to score after Lewis uncorked a wild pitch, making the score 2-0.

After Rene Tosoni and Danny Valencia drew consecutive walks to load the bases, Brian Dinkelman came through with a base hit to right center to score both Young and Tosoni, giving the Twins a quick 4-0 lead. After Rene Rivera flew out, Matt Tolbert came through with a two-out single to score Valencia and give the Twins a 5-0 lead. Revere, the tenth man to the plate in the inning, then grounded out to end things for the Twins.

The Twins added another run in the second after Casilla doubled to lead off the inning, and stole third after Michael Cuddyer struck out. Delmon Young then singled to center to score Casilla, and increase the Twins’ lead to 6-0. That was all for Lewis, as Rangers’ manager Ron Washington called Dave Bush on to relieve his starter.

Minnesota was at it again in the bottom of the fourth, when Revere led off the inning with a single and proceeded to steal second. Casilla then laced a single to right to score Revere and make the Minnesota lead 7-0. The Twins’ final run came in the bottom of the seventh, when Cuddyer started the inning with a double off of Bush, ending his afternoon. Delmon Young then stepped in and greeted new pitcher Yoshinori Tateyama with a double to score Cuddyer, padding the Twins’ lead to 8-0.

The Rangers lone run came in the top of the eighth, when Mike Napoli singled to center with two outs, and advanced to second on fielder’s indifference. David Murphy then singled to right, scoring Napoli and breaking up the shutout for Baker as the score changed to 8-1.

The offensive explosion by the Twins was not enough to overshadow the brilliant start put together by Scott Baker, who earned his first complete game victory since August of 2009 with his performance. Baker scattered just five hits on the afternoon and allowed the single run while striking out seven and not walking anybody. The win for Baker gives him consecutive victories for the first time since August of 2010. More importantly, with the Indians’ loss today, the Twins have cut their deficit in the American League Central to ten games.

The loss for Lewis dropped his record on the season to 5-7.

The Twins have already assured themselves of at least a split in this four-game series, and will go for the outright victory. . .which would be their third in a row. . .on Sunday afternoon at Target Field, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM Central time. Mercurial left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-6, 5.20 ERA) will take the mound for the Twins, and he will be opposed by Rangers’ left-hander Matt Harrison (5-4, 3.26 ERA).

FORT MYERS —
Sean O’Brien watched his son, Patrick, walk from a practice field to the home bullpen at Hammond Stadium.

“Seven-point-one,” Patrick called to him, telling him his 60-yard dash time.

“That’s alright,” Sean said back to him.

“No it’s not,” Patrick replied, as he continued to the next drill.

Patrick was one of nearly 150 baseball players from across the country putting their best foot forward at the Minnesota Twins open tryouts Saturday at Lee County Sports Complex. Though finding talent in such events is rare, there was no shortage of hopefuls giving it a shot.

“If you’re going to find something, it’s going to be a guy that’s been somehow missed,” Minnesota Twins pitching coordinator Eric Rasmussen said. “I would say what you might find is someone that’s a late bloomer, if you find someone, he has to have some ability at the right age.”

Many players arrived dressed in their gear from college. Some brought their families or girlfriends. Everyone was asked to pick their best position and immediately got to work at 8:30 in the morning.

After separating into groups between field players and pitchers and catchers, players were run through a battery of drills. Aside from the 60-yard dash, participants threw from their positions and took ground balls, took batting practice and those that were deemed the best in the group played a mock-game to wrap up the afternoon.

Former Golden Gate High catcher Jonathan Ponce was among those looking to catch the eye of a coach. He’s been working two jobs since graduating in 2007, but thought that he might try his hand at playing one more time.

“It is a very long shot,” Ponce said. “Honestly, I’m out here to see if I still got it, to see the competition and what it takes to be in minor-league ball.

“I’m going to give it 110 percent. If I don’t make it, OK. They have this once a year and the whole year I am going to train and expect great things next year.”

After the game concluded, players were informed that the 52 draftees the Twins selected this year had the inside track at making it into the organization’s farm system. If there was any room left over, it was possible that they could get a call back for another look.

Only three players have made it to the big leagues with the Twins out of open tryouts: Charlie Walters (1966), Gary Serum (1975), and Jerry Terrell (1968). The most recent player in the Twins organization to be signed to a minor league deal from the Fort Myers event was Chris Brown in 2004.

Patrick O’Brien, who currently plays baseball at Daytona State College, was found by coach Nick Luppino at a skills tryout similar to the Twins’ at Florida Atlantic University last year. Although it’s unlikely his next call will come from Minnesota, it was still an opportunity to continue building a dream.

“Baseball is all he cares about,” Sean O’Brien said. “He’s in the gym — a die-hard — every single day, and he doesn’t let anything get in the way of him and baseball.”

Read More: twins baseball, minnesota twins baseball, rangers baseball, texas rangers baseball, rangers vs twins, rangers at twins, Colby Lewis (P – TEX), Justin Morneau (1B – MIN), Scott Baker (P – MIN), Brian Duensing (P – MIN), Brian Dinkelman (2B – MIN), Rene Tosoni (RF – MIN), Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins, Jun 11, 2011 3:10 PM CDT

The Texas Rangers handed the Minnesota Twins a pretty good beatdown at Target Field on Friday night, scoring seven runs in the second inning off of Twins’ starter Brian Duensing and winning by a final score of 9-3. Today, the Twins will try to bounce back in the third of this four-game weekend set.

The Twins will once again be without first baseman Justin Morneau, who will see a hand specialist on Monday’s off day for trouble with his wrist. Manager Ron Gardenhire has already declared Morneau out for Sunday’s series finale as well. So, the Twins will go with a makeshift lineup that will see Rene Tosoni at the DH spot and Brian Dinkelman in right field.

Scott Baker (3-4, 3.86 ERA) will head to the mound for Minnesota this afternoon. Baker got a victory in his last start, allowing four runs on nine hits in seven innings of work in a 6-4 Minnesota victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday. Today, he will attempt to get consecutive victories for the first time since last August.

The Rangers will go with right-hander Colby Lewis (5-6, 4.37 ERA). Lewis got blasted in his last start, giving up nine earned runs and ten hits in just 3.1 innings in a 13-7 Rangers loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

First pitch for this one is scheduled for 3:10 PM Central time. Be sure to visit our friends at Twinkie Town so that you can join in the Game Thread, and we will have the recap for you when the game is finished.

By Christopher Gates

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Jun 11, 2011 – The Minnesota Twins currently possess the worst record in Major League Baseball, which is not something that anybody expected going into the 2011 season. There is a pretty good reason for at least some of the team’s difficulties, however. . .as loathe as people usually are to use injuries as an excuse for an underperforming team, in this case the Twins can make a pretty good case.

Here is the lineup that the Twins put on the field on Opening Day at the Rogers Centre in Toronto:

Denard Span, center field
Tsuyoshi Nishioka, second base
Joe Mauer, catcher
Justin Morneau, first base
Delmon Young, left field
Michael Cuddyer, right field
Jason Kubel, designated hitter
Danny Valencia, third base
Alexi Casilla, shortstop

Now. . .let’s take a moment to compare this to the lineup that the Twins will put on out at Target Field this afternoon. . .Saturday, June 11. . .against the Texas Rangers.

Ben Revere, center field
Alexi Casilla, shortstop
Michael Cuddyer, first base
Delmon Young, left field
Rene Tosoni, designated hitter
Danny Valencia, third base
Brian Dinkelman, right field
Rene Rivera, catcher
Matt Tolbert, second base

That’s nearly two-thirds of the Minnesota starting lineup that is out with injury concerns, and one guy that was in the Opening Day lineup that’s at a different defensive position. This doesn’t include Jim Thome, who is out with back and quadriceps problems. And it doesn’t even begin to touch on the pitching staff, where Francisco Liriano, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, and Joe Nathan (among others) have all spent time on the disabled list. Not to mention that Justin Morneau hasn’t been truly healthy all year, and will be seeing a wrist specialist early next week.

We aren’t even two and a half months into the 2011 season, and the Minnesota Twins have already used nineteen different pitchers. In the absence of Mauer, the team’s two catchers are hitting a combined .189 (31-for-164), and the Twins were even giving time at catcher to something named Steve Holm (not to be confused with Steve Holt!) for a spell. For crying out loud, today’s lineup features Rene Tosoni, he of the thirty career home runs. . .in five minor league seasons. . .batting in the fifth spot and serving as the designated hitter.

Sure, the Twins are still 11 games out in the American League Central, but at this point the division certainly doesn’t appear to have a dominant team. The Cleveland Indians, who not long ago had the best record in baseball, have dropped seven out of their last eight to come back to the pack, and none of the other three teams in the division have been terribly impressive.

Also, it sounds as though the Twins are finally getting healthy. . .Mauer is catching regularly at Fort Myers and could be back in the lineup in a week or so, Nishioka is playing regularly in his rehab assignment, and Thome and Kubel could be back shortly as well.

Can the Twins make up eleven games on the Indians? I don’t know. . .we haven’t seen much of the Twins this year, as the roster for much of the season has more closely resembled the Rochester Red Wings than the Minnesota Twins. However, if everybody gets healthy, you never know. I’m not going to say it’s likely, but I’m also not going to count out a Ron Gardenhire-coached team when the chips are down, either. If the Twins can keep getting healthy, and possibly stay healthy for a while, it’s a distinct possibility.

Read More: minnesota twins, minnesota twins injuries, minnesota twins al central, minnesota twins pennant race, Jim Thome (DH – MIN), Delmon Young (LF – MIN), Joe Mauer (C – MIN), Justin Morneau (1B – MIN), Jason Kubel (DH – MIN), Michael Cuddyer (RF – MIN), Alexi Casilla (2B – MIN), Glen Perkins (P – MIN), Joe Nathan (P – MIN), Kevin Slowey (P – MIN), Francisco Liriano (P – MIN), Denard Span (CF – MIN), Rene Rivera (C – MIN), Steve Holm (C – MIN), Matt Tolbert (2B – MIN), Brian Dinkelman (2B – MIN), Danny Valencia (3B – MIN), Rene Tosoni (RF – MIN), Ben Revere (CF – MIN), Tsuyoshi Nishioka (2B – MIN), Minnesota Twins

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