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Tuesday, May 9 8:05pm ET
Twins make Finley pay for one putrid inning | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Nobody could explain Chuck Finley's sudden reversal of fortune. Finley didn't even try. Cleveland's ace retired the first 12 batters he faced Tuesday night, then gave up six runs in the fifth inning as the Indians lost to the Minnesota Twins 6-5. "Chuck had one bad inning," Indians catcher Einar Diaz said. "Before that, he was great. After that, he was great." Indians interim manager Grady Little had no idea why Finley fell apart in the fifth. "It shocked all of us," he said. Finley gave up six runs on four hits and three walks that inning. "I can't explain it and I don't think he can either," Diaz said. Finley put in a vigorous workout after the game and didn't talk afterward, avoiding reporters for one of the few times in his career. LaTroy Hawkins (1-1), banished to the bullpen this season because of his inconsistent results as a starter, also ducked questions, leaving without commenting on his first victory of the season. Hawkins relieved Eric Milton to start the fourth with the Twins trailing 5-0, and quieted the Indians long enough for Minnesota to get to Finley (3-2). Ron Coomer led off the fifth with his sixth homer, and the Twins loaded the bases with one out. "He had a no-hitter going, a perfect game," Minnesota outfielder Matt Lawton said. "Then, Coomer leads off with that homer and he started trying to throw harder. He tried to overdo it. The balls got up in the zone. I got no idea why." Denny Hocking drew a walk, Finley's third of the inning, to make it 5-2, and right fielder Manny Ramirez dropped Cristian Guzman's shallow fly for an error, scoring another run. Jay Canizaro's comebacker nearly hit Finley in the head and tied the game at 5, and Lawton's sacrifice fly to center gave the Twins a 6-5 lead. "We got a little lucky with that bloop that fell in," Twins manager Tom Kelly said. Little said that error was the weirdest thing about the unusual inning. "We don't make a lot of errors," he said. "Normally, we play good defense. But when a pitcher's having trouble throwing strikes, it seems to happen more often." In his other six innings, Finley gave up just one hit, walked none and struck out five. "He was outstanding to that point and great again after," Little said of why he left Finley in the game. "He's one of our horses. You've got to give him every opportunity to win the game." The Indians nearly did. They got consecutive two-out singles off Bob Wells in the eighth, and Eddie Guardado walked Omar Vizquel, loading the bases. Hector Carrasco came in and struck out Richie Sexson to preserve the lead. Ramirez doubled leading off the ninth and took third on Jim Thome's flyout. Travis Fryman grounded to third, and Travis Miller relieved and got his first career save when pinch-hitter Sandy Alomar hit a game-ending flyout. Milton gave up eight hits in three innings, his shortest start since last Aug. 6, when he lasted just two innings against Kansas City. Sexson and Ramirez hit consecutive homers off him in the third. Game notesCleveland OF Jolbert Cabrera had a career-high three hits, all singles. ... Twins C Matthew LeCroy's double in the sixth snapped an 0-for-11 streak. ... Ramirez's 3-for-4 night extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying Roberto Alomar for the Indians' season-high. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Cleveland Clubhouse Minnesota Clubhouse RECAPS Chi. White Sox 6 Boston 0
Minnesota 6
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