Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Twins' Hunter plays orator, philosopher — and hero. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 1 Twins notebook: Achter gets a nice surprise. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 2 Postgame: Achter gives up HR, but bounces back. Star Tribune (Miller) p. 3 Twins end five-game skid as Torii Hunter homers in ninth. Star Tribune (Berardino) p. 4 Tom Powers: Twins can't seem to shake poor-man's mentality. Pioneer Press (Powers) p. 5 Postgame Twinsights: Twins seeing red after jersey switch. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 6 Twinsights: Trevor May earning his manager’s faith in bullpen role. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7 Twinsights: Good timing for Ohioan A.J. Achter to return to Twins. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 7 Twinsights: Hughes, Molitor hit board in Baseball America Best Tools survey. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 8 Hunter rallies teammates, wins game with HR. MLB.com (Fagerstrom) p. 9 Twins defeat Tribe in offensive showcase. MLB.com (Bastian & Fagerstrom) p. 9 Buxton inches closer to big league return. MLB.com (Fagerstrom) p. 11 Twins option Duffey, call up Herrmann, Achter. MLB.com (Fagerstrom) p. 11 Santana looks to clinch series vs. Tribe. MLB.com (Fagerstrom) p. 12 Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Jump ahead, come-from-behind, short a starter. 1500espn.com (Wetmore) p. 12 Hunter’s 9th-inning home run gives Twins win in back-and-forth game. Associated Press p. 14

Twins' Hunter plays orator, philosopher — and hero Phil Miller | Star Tribune | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND – When the Twins returned to their dugout after the fourth inning, their early six-run lead over the Indians now completely dissolved into a two-run deficit, Torii Hunter decided to say a few words to his teammates. But you’ll have to use your imagination. “They were rated X,” Hunter said.

Thus inspired, Hunter immediately doubled to start a comeback, and in the ninth inning he completed it, smacking a tiebreaking, opposite-field home run into the Progressive Field seats to earn Minnesota a 10-9 victory over the Cleveland Indians that snapped its five-game losing streak.

“Torii was kind of fired up. I don’t think he was going to let us lose tonight,” said starter Mike Pelfrey, who squandered a 6-0 lead in only two innings. “He was cussing. And then he came through.”

He did, providing three hits, three RBI, some critical defense and even a stolen base, making him only the fourth Twin to steal a base after his 40th birthday. But most of all, Hunter made certain that his team understood the urgency of changing its slumping ways before the season gets away completely.

“He knows when to step up, he knows when to get more vocal. It’s a combination of not trying to show panic but still showing how much passion and intensity you have for winning,” manager Paul Molitor said. “When we relinquished the lead, he was particularly loud, trying to tell us to stay with the game. He had the first opportunity to do that, and he hits a double. It’s nice when you can back it up that way.”

Yes, the clubhouse leader role that Hunter immediately occupied has been a big factor in the Twins’ competitive season. But he’s proven to be far more than just a cheerleader or guidance counselor.

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Good thing, too, because after the Twins stacked up six runs in the third inning off Cody Anderson, with Trevor Plouffe’s two-run double and Hunter’s two-run single the big blows, it looked like a much-needed rout for the slumping Twins. But the Indians strung together five singles and a walk for four runs in the third, then took the lead in the fourth when rookie reliever A.J. Achter surrendered a three-run homer to Yan Gomes.

“It’s one game, but there’s always the psychological damage that comes with losing games that you probably should win,” Molitor said. “That would have been a difficult one to swallow.”

Hunter rallied the troops, but everyone had a hand in the comeback. All nine Twins in the lineup had a hit — Hunter and Aaron Hicks had three — and Eddie Rosario tripled twice. Brian Dozier hit his 24th homer, a career high, in the sixth to tie the score 9-9. That was still the score in the ninth when Hunter faced Bryan Shaw and his cut fastball.

“He has so much movement on that cutter, you hit it off the end of the bat, or you hit it hard right at somebody,” Hunter said. He pounced on the first one he saw from Shaw and drove it the opposite way, slicing it into the disappointed fans.

For a team desperate for a victory, for a team that had lost 10 of its past 12 and was just dominated in Toronto, that was as big a hit as there was. It brought out the philosopher in the man who hit it.

“When trees are in hurricane [zones], they grow deeper roots so they won’t tip over,” Hunter said. “That’s what we have to do, try to dig deeper roots and withstand the storm. They do pass.”

Twins notebook: Achter gets a nice surprise

Phil Miller | Star Tribune | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND – A.J. Achter can count. He knew the Twins had eight relievers on their staff, so he never dreamed, he said, that they might add a ninth. Until the call came Thursday.

“It was a little nutty. We were in a rain delay in Gwinnett [Ga.], and they told me I’m headed back up,” Achter said. “It was still very exciting, of course. But I never saw it coming this time.”

Neither did Twins manager Paul Molitor, but it’s “a strange circumstance,” he said — with no game Monday, the Twins don’t need another starting pitcher until next Saturday. It didn’t make sense to keep rookie starter Tyler Duffey on the roster if he wasn’t going to pitch, so Molitor, General ManagerTerry Ryan and assistant GM Rob Antony considered summoning a position player, “someone who could possibly help us in the short term off the bench. But we didn’t get very far with that discussion,” Molitor said. “It became apparent that our best option was to add another pitcher.” It’s only temporary, but Achter certainly doesn’t mind. The Toledo native, who turns 27 later this month, appeared in seven games as a September call-up last year, “but this is my first time on the 25-man roster, so that’s a big deal,” he said. He had a 2.82 ERA in 44⅔ innings at Class AAA Rochester and made the International League All-Star team, but allowed a three-run home run Friday to Yan Gomes in his 2015 big-league debut. He recovered to strike out the next four batters he faced, however.

Perkins on Teague

Glen Perkins is an occasional donor to the University of Minnesota athletics department, mostly the baseball program, and in doing so, he has become friends with Norwood Teague. So Perkins said he was as shocked as the rest of the Gophers community Friday when Teague suddenly resigned as athletic director after being accused of sexual harassment. “Norwood has always been good to me and my family. So I feel bad for him — he’s obviously got a problem with drinking, and it’s good that he’s going to get help,” Perkins said. “The circumstances [stink], and it’s certainly not OK what he did. Alcohol is not an excuse. But if he gets help, at least something good comes of it.”

Etc.

• Byron Buxton had three singles and drove in a run in five at-bats Friday in his first rehab game for Rochester. Buxton served as designated hitter in the Red Wings’ 9-5 loss, but is expected to return to the outfield this weekend. • Phil Hughes has the best control of any AL pitcher, according to Baseball America’s annual survey of the league’s 15 managers. That distinction is hardly a surprise, considering Hughes has walked only 29 batters in two seasons with the Twins. The other Minnesotan to be mentioned in the survey was a bit

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more of a surprise, considering his rookie status: Molitor ranked third in the “Best Manager” category, behind Baltimore’s Buck Showalter and Cleveland’s Terry Francona.

Postgame: Achter gives up HR, but bounces back

Phil Miller | Star Tribune | August 7, 2015

Some extras from Cleveland, which seems much friendlier to the Twins than Toronto: — A.J. Achter had plenty of friends and family from his nearby hometown of Toledo in the Progressive Field stands Friday night, so he was understandably amped when Paul Molitor called upon him to rescue Mike Pelfrey from a two-on, two-outs jam in the fourth inning, with the Twins leading 7-6.

Maybe he was a little too amped.

“I had a lot of adrenalin going” in his first major-league appearance since last September, Achter said. “If I had it to do over, I’d have stepped off and gathered myself a little more.”

Instead, he tried to get Carlos Santana to bite at fastballs outside the strike zone, knowing first base was open. He finally walked Santana on four pitches, and “I kind of lost my aggressiveness,” Achter said. When he got behind Yan Gomes 2-and-1, he got a little desperate for a strike, and Gomes was ready.

“I’m thinking, ‘Just throw it over, and hopefully he hits it at somebody,” Achter said. “But he didn’t. That was tough. But I’m glad we were able to bounce back.”

Achter bounced back, too, striking out Lonnie Chisenhall to end the inning, then whiffing all three batters in the fifth. Two of them required eight pitches, so Achter was fighting for those outs, which he hopes carries over. “Between innings, I was able to calm my nerves a little bit, settle down. I talked to Kurt [Suzuki, his catcher], and he said, ‘Just throw strikes,’ “ Achter said. “I’m glad I was able to do it. It’s a little confidence for myself, but hopefully next time, I don’t put myself in a situation where I have to make those pitches. Just get the job done the first time.”

— Mike Pelfrey was missing some velocity on his fastball Friday, at least as compared to his eight-shutout-inning outing last Sunday, and it cost him.

“He didn’t have the same fastball. If you don’t have the same velocity, you have to pitch differently. I don’t think he pitched inside as well as he would liked,” Molitor said. “His off-speed didn’t help him much, and so he battled.”

He didn’t give up many extra-base hits, but the weight of eight singles and a walk finally caved in on him with seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings.

“I made a lot of mistakes over the plate. Every time I did, I seemed to give up a hit,” said Pelfrey, whose ERA jumped to 4.06. “They had a lot of hits.”

— Eduardo Escobar wore a sign on his back in the clubhouse and during batting practice on Friday that read, “Forgive me, Torii. I [heart] Swingman.” It’s the penance that the infielder has to pay, Torii Hunter said, for buying a pair of Air Jordans this week, rather than the Nike brand that Ken Griffey Jr. models for and Hunter endorses. “If he wears that sign for three days, he can wear the shoes,” Hunter said with a grin. “But he should just buy Swingman in the first place.”

— Hunter stole second base in the third inning, his second of the season. It also made him just the fourth Twins player ever to steal a base after his 40th birthday, joining Molitor, who had 23; Dave Winfield (4); and Pat Borders (2).

— Eddie Rosario tripled twice, giving him eight on the season, just one short of Tony Oliva’s franchise rookie record of nine.

— The Twins wore red jerseys, their batting-practice garb, for the game, just the fourth time they’ve ever worn the color. The break-the-jinx move was the idea, Pelfrey said, of athletic trainer Dave Pruemer, but it was a risky one: The Twins had been 0-3 in red, losing last Aug. 1 and twice in 1997.

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Twins end five-game skid as Torii Hunter homers in ninth

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND -- Torii Hunter wasn't pleased with the way the Twins responded to the challenge in a four-game series sweep at Toronto.

Friday night, after they blew an early six-run lead, the 40-year-old right fielder made sure they got back up off the deck in a 10-9 win over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

"Somebody had to step up," Hunter said.

Hunter went 3 for 5, scored three runs and drove in three more, including the go-ahead home run off right-hander Bryan Shaw in the top of the ninth.

"I think Torii was kind of fired up," said Twins starter Mike Pelfrey. "I don't think he was going to let us lose tonight."

In snapping a five-game losing streak on a wild night, the Twins (55-54) avoided falling below .500 for the first time since they were 11-12 on May 1.

With their season seemingly hanging in the balance after dropping 10 of their past 12 games, failing to muster a proper response on Friday could have been a crushing blow to the postseason hopes of a fading upstart.

"It's one game, but there's always the psychological damage that comes with losing games you probably should win," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's hard enough to win the games you should win. That would have been a difficult one to swallow, maybe more than some of the others."

Before connecting off Shaw's first-pitch cutter for his 18th homer, Hunter had been 1 for 10 off the veteran reliever. His opposite-field shot completed a Twins comeback after they turned a 6-0 lead into a 9-7 deficit.

Hunter pumped his right fist overhead after the ball cleared the right-field fence.

Hunter also delivered a two-run single and stole second during a six-run Twins third. Hunter, who had been caught three times in four previous stolen-base attempts this year, became just the fourth Twins player with a stolen base after turning 40.

With 210 homers in a Twins uniform, Hunter is one shy of tying Bob Allison for fifth on the club list. With his 349th career homer, Hunter passed George Foster for 93rd all time.

"This is not my first rodeo," Hunter said. "I know how to bear down and get it done. That's what I did. I really wanted to help this ballclub out and try to give a boost. Everybody pitched in."

Trevor May (8-7) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth. Glen Perkins closed it out for his 30th save in 32 chances.

With the Twins trailing 9-7, Hunter doubled to start the fifth and scored on Aaron Hicks' double, one of three hits for Hicks.

Brian Dozier tied the score with a leadoff homer in the sixth, his career-high 24th.

Teammates said Hunter was stalking the dugout in the middle innings, barking out R-rated exhortations and essentially refusing to let the Twins go quietly against a poor Indians team coming off a losing West Coast road trip.

"It was a pretty good scene in there," said Pelfrey, who was lifted in the fourth and charged with seven earned runs. "Torii was cussing at one point after they made it 9-7, yelling, 'Let's go!' "

Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who drove in the game's first run, backed up that account.

"Everybody was like, 'Keep playing, keep playing. Keep going, keep going,' " Escobar said. "The most important thing is everybody sticks together."

Trevor Plouffe drove in two runs with a double in the third and Miguel Sano added an RBI double in the fourth.

"Torii knows when to step up and when to get a little more vocal," Molitor said. "It's a combination of not trying to show panic but to still show how much passion and intensity you have for winning. After we relinquished the lead, he was particularly loud."

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Even with Hunter's heroics, the Twins have led at the completion of just three of their past 56 innings, dating to Kurt Suzuki's walk-off hit last Saturday.

"It's what you do during the storm," Hunter said. "When trees are in hurricanes and storms, all they do is grow deeper roots so they won't tip over. That's what we have to do is get deeper roots and dig deep and try to figure out something and withstand the storm."

Tom Powers: Twins can't seem to shake poor-man's mentality

Tom Powers | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

Maybe the Twins should serve fried bologna sandwiches instead of vegan aloo gobi and fire-baked flat-bread at the Target Field concession stands.

The altered cuisine would better reflect the mindset of the franchise, which clearly still sees itself squarely situated amidst the ramshackle dwellings of Shanty Town. The Metrodome may have been demolished, but the poor-man's mentality lives on. Even as their wild-card competitors bolstered themselves for the stretch run, the Twins virtually sat idle, apparently content that attendance is solid and that fans no longer spit on the sidewalk while discussing the team.

Now they are facing the consequences. They were destroyed last week by an upgraded Toronto Blue Jays team that blew past them for a wild-card spot.

For the past four years I have been sparring with Twins fans who have called the organization cheap for being unwilling to acquire enough marquee (expensive) players. No, no, no, I insisted. You don't throw good money after bad. You wait until the team is capable of contending and then spend. Keep your powder dry. As it turns out, the Twins' powder is so dry it may spontaneously combust.

Mid-summer deals aren't so much about moving talent as they are about moving contracts. Contending teams often seize the moment to open wide and swallow large sums of money in an effort to reach the playoffs. The Blue Jays are a prime example. They gobbled up David Price, Troy Tulowitzki and Ben Revere.

Then they smashed the Twins four straight and sent them reeling into the land of the also-rans. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers acquired ace Cole Hamels. The Kansas City Royals, already a powerhouse, latched onto Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. The Astros dealt for Carlos Gomez and Scott Kazmir. The Los Angeles Angels picked up a handful of outfielders hoping that at least one will provide a spark. The Twins dealt for Kevin Jepsen, an OK reliever when he can get the ball over the plate.

In other words, they said: We're just happy to be here and we aren't really serious about this contending business. As a result, a feel-good story suddenly disintegrates in front of the viewers' eyes.

Maybe general manager Terry Ryan has some sort August waiver deal in place. Even if he does, it's too late. The team was slipping before the non-waiver deadline. It has no shortstop. That catcher's spot has provided zero offense. The rotation is starting to wear down. And the overall lineup lacks pop. Yet the Twins hung in there for a very long time. Several players were open about hoping for August reinforcements.

Instead, they were abandoned. Most teams only have so many chances to contend. When they get one, they probably ought to go for it. The Twins could have opened wide and swallowed a contract. They no longer are destitute. And an impact player would have energized the current players in addition to keeping the ball club on track. But old habits are hard to break. Why spend money when this year's first half apparently is officially considered a happy accident?

The do-nothing strategy was exposed in Toronto last week. It's too bad, really, because the team hadn't excelled in any one particular area yet was cruising at 10 games above .500. That shows something. The Twins didn't have to trade Byron Buxton or Jose Berrios to upgrade. Not to say that good prospects don't change hands, but some have-nots are looking to get just enough in return to save face while dumping salaries. The Twins should know that because they've been there.

The guy I thought would have been perfect -- other than Tulowitzki, who is super expensive -- was Carlos Gomez. He's not a shortstop, but he is an impact player, one who not only would add punch but also a healthy dose of attitude to the politest team in the league. Before getting hurt, Buxton demonstrated that he wasn't ready. I'd be surprised if he starts 2016 in Minnesota. Gomez is under contract for $9 million next year. That's a bargain these days.

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Anyway, I guess the plan is for everyone to sit tight and wait for the younger players to develop. Whether the Twins will get another chance next year is a mystery. They have gotten good stretches from warhorses such as Mike Pelfrey, Torii Hunter and Blaine Boyer this season.

Perhaps they'll all perform an encore. If so, and the Twins find themselves in the mix in the summer of '16, they will have plenty of dry powder. Arid, parched, desiccated powder.

Postgame Twinsights: Twins seeing red after jersey switch

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND –Before Friday’s wild 10-9 win over the Cleveland Indians, the Twins had been 0-3 all-time when wearing red jerseys during the regular season.

They lost a pair of games in 1997, after which Tom Kelly put the kibosh on the Dairy Queen look. That held up until last August at Chicago, Kennys Vargas’ first start went down as a 10-8 loss to the White Sox.

Typically, the starting pitcher for a given game is entrusted with the responsibility of picking that night’s uniform look. This time, Mike Pelfrey said he didn’t have any strong feeling until Twins head trainer Dave Pruemer spoke up and suggested the red jerseys.

“I have to credit Prue for that one,” Pelfrey said.

The Twins are winless no more when wearing red after snapping a five-game losing streak.

Something tells me they’ll go with the red again on Saturday.

–-You might say Torii Hunter likes hitting at Progressive Field.

After going 3 for 5 with three runs, three runs batted in, a homer, a double and a stolen base in Friday’s plant-your-feet game, Hunter how has 21 career homers at this place.

Those have come in 379 at-bats and represent his highest total in any park he’s never called home.

Friday was his 98th game at Cleveland. By comparison, he has 24 homers in 235 career games at Detroit’s Comerica Park.

This season, Hunter has played four games here and gone 10 for 17 (.588) with three homers, eight RBIs, nine runs, three doubles and a stolen base. He also has walked twice.

For 2015, Hunter has a .632 on-base percentage and 1.467 slugging percentage here. That computes to an OPS of 2.099.

–Eddie Rosario had two triples, bringing his season total to eight.

That leaves him one shy of Tony Oliva’s Twins franchise rookie record of nine, set in 1964.

–Brian Dozier went 2 for 5 with a double, his 24th homer and no strikeouts.

It was the first time in 17 games Dozier had played without striking out. That kept him from tying the franchise mark shared by George Mitterwald and Chris Colabello.

–Six straight runs for the Twins during one stretch Friday came on two-out hits, something that have been in short supply of late.

Those coming through with two-out hits to score runs were Trevor Plouffe, Hunter, Rosario and rookie Miguel Sano.

–After watching a pair of balls drop in right center on Thursday at Toronto, Hunter ranged farther than normal to grab Jerry Sands potential gapper with the tying runs on base in a four-run Indians third.

“Yesterday two balls dropped that shouldn’t drop,” Hunter said. “We just have to attack those balls. I was not taking any chances. I’m not waiting on anybody to call that ball. I’m calling it myself.”

As for center fielder Aaron Hicks, Hunter continues to mentor.

“He’s learning,” Hunter said. ” He’s learning.”

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Twinsights: Trevor May earning his manager’s faith in bullpen role

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND — A day after Trevor May struck out the side in Toronto, giving up only a double to Josh Donaldson, Twins manager Paul Molitor essentially named him the team’s primary setup man.

“I’m really pleased with what he’s doing out there and I do have a lot of confidence,” Molitor said. “Most likely he is my eighth-inning guy as long as he’s available on any given day.”

May has eight strikeouts in his past four innings, including his first back-to-back outings on Aug. 1 and 2. The former starter has narrowed his arsenal and was pumping 95-mph fastballs by the likes of Troy Tulowitzki, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays sluggers who gave the rest of the Twins’ staff fits.

“He’s throwing it over,” Molitor said. “It’s been a process of learning how much energy to exert when you know you have one inning to get through. To understand you have good secondary pitches but you might not need them quite as much as you would if you were going through a lineup three times.”

Even with the Twins in need of a start on Aug. 15, May seems likely to stay in the bullpen for now.

“The fact he’s adjusted so well and I think his confidence level is high, as is mine in terms of bringing him in games,” Molitor said, “it has minimized any desire I have to mold him back into the rotation right now, unless I knew it was going to be a longer stint.”

Briefly

–Twins center fielder Byron Buxton went 3 for 5 with a run and a run batted in on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. It was the first game of Buxton’s rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester after missing 43 days with a sprained left thumb. Buxton, who led off as the designated hitter in his return, could see time in center as soon as Saturday.

–The Twins did not immediately replace promoted catcher Chris Herrmann on the Rochester roster. That left 29-year-old first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez, a former catcher, and second baseman James Beresford as the emergency catchers before new starter Carlos Paulino. Eric Fryer, designated for assignment after Thursday’s game, could land back with the Red Wings if he clears waivers as expected. Fryer also has the right to elect free agency if the Twins attempt to outright his contract.

Twinsights: Good timing for Ohioan A.J. Achter to return to Twins

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND — The varsity football team at Sylvania (Ohio) Northview High School has A.J. Achter to thank for their two-a-day practices under the sun this weekend.

“It’s a little hotter in the morning around here, but they’ll be all right,” Achter, the Twins right-hander, said Friday after being recalled from Triple-A Rochester. “They’re young.”

Rod Achter, the pitcher’s father and the Wildcats defensive coordinator, moved the usual night practice to the morning so he could join the rest of the family at Progressive Field for this three-game series between the Twins and the Cleveland Indians.

The elder Achter had to miss his son’s first big-league victory last September at Detroit because the Wildcats had a Friday night football game. Preseason practice started on Aug. 1, so the schedule was a little kinder to the Achter family this time around.

Achter expects his father to be in the stands all three days. There will no party bus this time from Oregon, Ohio, a one-hour, 45-minute drive to the west on the banks of Lake Erie; the Achter rooting section should peak at about 20 on Saturday night.

“He’s a poised guy who is not going to blow you away with velocity,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “He needs location, but he’s been doing that consistently all year long. He’ll hold runners. He’ll do the things you need to do coming out of the bullpen. It’s a good opportunity for him. He deserves it.”

By having Achter replace young starter Tyler Duffey, the Twins have temporarily gone to a nine-man bullpen. Molitor said he didn’t think he’d ever seen a bullpen that large before September roster expansion.

Achter said he just hoped there would be enough chairs in the bullpen for everybody on the visitors’ side.

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“That’s why I was a little surprised to get called up,” he said. “I’ll defer to any role they need me in. I’ve done literally everything in my career. I can do just about anything they ask me to do.”

Achter had a 1.73 combined earned run average in 26 innings in May and June, striking out 25 and walking just three. In eight July innings, however, he had a 5.63 ERA.

Twinsights: Hughes, Molitor hit board in Baseball America Best Tools survey

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND — Phil Hughes’ nine-inning walk rate has actually jumped 39 percent over his record-setting 2014 season, but the Twins right-hander was still pleased to be cited as having the best control in the American League.

That distinction came in a vote of league managers as conducted by Baseball America correspondents in its annual Best Tools survey.

Twins manager Paul Molitor finished third in the best manager category behind Buck Showalter (Baltimore) and Terry Francona (Cleveland).

After walking just 0.64 batters (unintentionally) per nine innings last season, Hughes has seen that figure climb to 0.89 as he experiments more with a changeup and two-seam fastball.

“Anytime you’re mentioned as having good anything, it’s not a bad thing,” Hughes said. “It’s always been the same thing. I pound the zone. I’m not going to have the best command, by any means.”

Control, which is the ability to throw strikes, is different from command, which is essentially the ability to throw quality strikes. Hughes, who leads the majors with 27 homers allowed, was asked if he felt he had his best control this year.

“Probably not,” he said. “I guess if you just look at walk numbers, you’d probably come to that conclusion and you’d assume my control has been good.”

Toronto Blue Jays lefty Mark Buehrle, who beat the Twins for the 30th time in his career on Thursday, finished in a second-place tie behind Hughes with Houston Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who started the All-Star Game for the AL last month.

When it was mentioned it’s never a bad thing to be listed ahead of Buehrle in any pitching survey, Hughes smiled.

“I would just like to have my pace be up there with him,” Hughes said. “I like how fast he works. I strive to be a little bit better at that. I want to cut down my time between pitches.”

In the minor leagues, the Twins’ Double-A Chattanooga club received eight citations for best tools among Southern League managers. Despite being promoted to the majors in mid-June, Byron Buxton won three categories: most exciting player, fastest baserunner and best defensive outfielder.

Outfielder Max Kepler was lauded for his strike-zone judgment, Adam Brett Walker II for his power, Jose Berrios for his control and Heiker Meneses for his defense at second base. In addition, Lookouts manager Doug Mientkiewicz was named best manager prospect by his peers.

At Class A Cedar Rapids, four Twins were named in the Midwest League manager survey.

Nick Gordon, the Twins’ first-round pick in 2014, was named best defensive shortstop. Brian Navaretto was named best defensive catcher and Trevor Hildenberger was named best reliever. Also, Jake Mauer repeated as best manager prospect for the league.

The Twins were shut out at both Triple-A Rochester (International League) and Class A Fort Myers (Florida State).

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Hunter rallies teammates, wins game with HR

August Fagerstrom | MLB.com | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND -- A wise man named Torii Hunter once said after a gutsy victory in Cleveland, "When trees are in hurricanes and storms, all they do is grow deeper roots so they won't tip over. That's what we have to do is grow deeper roots, dig deep and try to withstand the storm." Hunter played the role of motivational speaker during the Twins' 10-9 victory on Saturday -- and the role of philosopher after it.

The team was on the heels of a deflating four-game sweep, and manager Paul Molitor said before Friday's contest that the team needed to figure out a way to weather the storm. The Twins appeared to respond well, jumping out to an early 6-0 lead against rookie pitcherCody Anderson, but the lead was one they quickly relinquished, as the Indians tagged starter Mike Pelfrey and reliever A.J. Achter for nine runs over the next two innings.

"I think Torii was kind of fired up," Pelfrey said, " ... when they made it 9-7 and [he was] yelling, 'Let's go.'"

"We had some tension in that dugout," Hunter said. "In a good way, not towards anybody, just trying to pump each other up." Hunter was the first man up in the fifth inning after he implored his teammates not to give up, and he backed up his talk with a double to left field. He later scored on an Aaron Hicksdouble, shaving the deficit to one run.

"He knows when to step up and he knows when to get a little more vocal," Molitor said. "It's a combination of not trying to show panic but still show how much passion and intensity you have from winning."

Hunter also played the role of hero with his go-ahead home run in the ninth inning that gave the Twins their 10-9 lead. The former long-time Twin was brought to the club in the offseason not only for his play on the field, but for his presence in the dugout and clubhouse. Both were on display in Cleveland on Friday night.

"This isn't my first rodeo," Hunter said. "I know how to bear down and get it done. That's what I did. I really want to help this ballclub out and give a boost. So did [Trevor] Plouffe, so did [Brian] Dozier, so did [Eddie] Rosario, Hicks, everybody pitched in and everybody had a hit. It was a lot of fun today, but it was a battle." Twins defeat Tribe in offensive showcase

Jordan Bastian & August Fagerstrom | MLB.com | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND -- Torii Hunter's ninth-inning solo homer to the right-field seats sent the Twins to a 10-9 comeback victory over the rival Indians on Friday night at Progressive Field. The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Minnesota.

"It's something that you hope can propel you somewhat, but at this stage in the season, those things only go so far," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "When you go out there tomorrow, you don't know what's going to happen in the first inning. You hope that you can leapfrog off of it, but it's a matter of coming out and trying to play good ball." Hunter's shot off Bryan Shaw ended a back-and-forth battle that included an early six-run lead for Minnesota and a furious nine-run rally by Cleveland over the third and fourth innings. For the Twins, Hunter had three RBIs, Trevor Plouffe had two and Brian Dozier belted his 24th homer of the season. For the Tribe, Yan Gomes launched a three-run shot (his seventh homer of the year) and Michael Brantley had three RBIs. The early outpouring offense came at the expense of Twins starter Mike Pelfrey and Indians rookie Cody Anderson, who each bowed out after abbreviated efforts. Pelfrey was charged with seven runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings, while Anderson was on the hook for six runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.

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"They deserved the win right there," Anderson said of the effort of the Indians' offense. "If I would've done my job, those guys would've earned a win." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Pouring it on early: The Twins appeared to have put the Indians away early with a six-run third inning in which they sent 10 batters to the plate and recorded six hits. The damage was done by an RBI single from Eduardo Escobar, a two-run Plouffe double, a Hunter single that scored two more and an RBI triple by Eddie Rosario.

"It was a balanced contribution," Molitor said. "You score 10 runs and have to hang on, it's a tough way to get it done, but that's when everybody gets involved and it's a good thing." Call it a comeback: Cleveland answered with seven runs off Pelfrey and nine runs total across the third and fourth innings. Brantley delivered an RBI single in the fourth and a two-run double in the fifth. Also in the fourth, Carlos Santana drew a bases-loaded walk andLonnie Chisenhall chipped in an RBI single, too. Gomes' homer off A.J. Achter capped off the nine-run push, giving the Tribe a 9-7 lead in the fifth. "It was really good," Indians manager Terry Francona said of the rally. "That had a chance to be a long night, and jumping right back into it like that was really encouraging. It wasn't fun to lose a game, but it was a lot more interesting the way we played it out." Not so fast: The Twins showed fight following the Indians nine-run outburst, pushing across runs in the fifth, sixth and ninth innings to give them the lead. Aaron Hicks' second hit of the night with a fifth-inning double that scored Hunter, and Dozier's 24th home run of the year was a solo shot in the sixth inning that set the stage for Hunter's go-ahead homer in the ninth. "It's unfortunate that you can get out to a good start like that and then have to battle the way we did," Molitor said. "But somehow, we rallied. Torii got us going after we fell behind and then eventually got the home run to tie it up. That's about as good of a ball as I've seen him hit to right field." QUOTABLE "Boy, he's really beat us up. Man, I think he's following me. I've seen him do that for too many years." -- Francona, on Hunter "I feel like some people have been talking about as soon as [teams] score runs, we go down and we don't fight back. I think the mentality that we have, we've got good hitters, man. At any point, anything can happen, and we showed it today." -- Gomes SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Hunter's three hits gave him 215 career hits against the Indians, marking the most against the Tribe among active players. Hunter's 36 homers vs. Cleveland are tied with Boog Powell for 21st all-time against the Indians, and rank second to only Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (40) among active players. UMPIRE REVIEW In the third inning, the game was stopped for a records review by the umpiring crew. During Escobar's at-bat for the Twins, home-plate umpire D.J. Reyburn consulted with the crew in New York to confirm the count, which was 2-2 at the time. The review lasted one minute and 58 seconds. WHAT'S NEXT Twins: Righty Ervin Santana (2-2, 3.89 ERA) will face the Indians at 7:10 p.m. ET on Saturday for the first time since 2013, when he was a member of the Kansas City Royals. Santana has had an up-and-down season since returning from his suspension, posting two scoreless outings, but allowing 17 earned runs in the other four starts.. Indians: In the second tilt in this three-game set against the Twins, the Indians will hand the ball to right-hander Trevor Bauer (8-8, 3.98 ERA). Bauer has turned in a 1.72 ERA in his past two outings (three earned runs in 15 2/3 innings). Corner infielder Chris Johnson, who was acquired from the Braves on Friday, is expected to officially join the Indians, too.

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Buxton inches closer to big league return

August Fagerstrom | MLB.com | August 7, 2015

Byron Buxton officially began his rehab assignment on Friday, going 3-for-5 with a run scored in Triple-A Rochester's 9-5 loss to Charlotte while working his way back from a sprained left thumb.

Buxton served as the designated hitter in his first game since June 24. He singled to center field to lead off the game and later scored on a Danny Santana single. His second at-bat came in the second inning and resulted in an opposite-field single. Buxton grounded out in the fifth and seventh innings before adding a third single and an RBI on a grounder in the ninth. Baseball's top overall prospect made his Major League debut on June 14 and appeared in 11 games before suffering the injury and hitting the disabled list. Buxton batted .189/.231/.270 through 39 plate appearances. His first-inning at-bat was actually his first at the Triple-A level, as he jumped straight from Double-A to the big leagues. Aaron Hicks has excelled in center field during Buxton's absence, hitting .304/.371/.520 with plus defense. Twins manager Paul Molitor was noncommittal when asked about Buxton's return before Friday's game in Cleveland. "We had a small glimpse of him up here," Molitor said of the Twins' top prospect. "It's kind of going to be how he goes and how he plays and if we decide to figure out a way to make him fit up here and how long that's going to take. If he needs 20 days or it's into September, those things are all kind of more based on how things are going here and how he does down there. We'll just have to see when it's the right time to get him back. Twins option Duffey, call up Herrmann, Achter

August Fagerstrom | MLB.com | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND -- Prior to Friday's series opener in Cleveland, the Twins made a pair of roster moves, recalling right-handed relief pitcher A.J. Achter and catcher Chris Herrmann from Triple-A, optioning right-handed starter Tyler Duffey and designating for assignment catcherEric Fryer.

The addition of Achter gives the Twins a nine-man bullpen for the time being. With an off-day on Monday to travel from Cleveland back to Minnesota, the Twins don't need a fifth starter until Aug. 15.

"To keep Duffey around here until next Saturday didn't make a lot of sense," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We talked about position players that could come up and possibly help us here in the short term, but we didn't get very far with that discussion. It became more apparent that our best option was to go ahead and add another pitcher." Left-handed starter Tommy Milone is eligible to return from the disabled list on Aug. 16.

Achter made his Major League debut last season with the Twins, allowing four earned runs in 11 relief innings. This year, he's pitched exclusively at Triple-A, posting a 2.82 ERA in 44 2/3 innings with 45 strikeouts and 12 walks.

"He's had a deserving year in terms of him getting an opportunity," Molitor said. "His name has surfaced multiple times when we've either had injuries or thought about switching people out."

Herrmann opened the season as the team's backup catcher but struggled at the plate, batting .156/.239/.281 with one home run in 72 plate appearances before being optioned to Triple-A for Fryer. Fryer didn't fare much better, batting .167/.286/.222 in 21 plate appearances, while Herrmann posted a .706 OPS in Triple-A. Duffey allowed six earned runs in two innings in his Major League debut on Wednesday in Toronto. Worth noting

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• On July 6, young right-hander Trevor May officially transitioned to the bullpen after making 11 starts. Since then, he's posted a 2.92 ERA in 11 appearances, with a 13:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In Thursday's outing, an eighth-inning showing against Toronto, May struck outTroy Tulowitzki, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion in a scoreless frame. In Friday's10-9 win over the Indians, he earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

Molitor officially named May his set-up man moving forward, and a return to the rotation this season seems unlikely.

"He's adjusted so well, and I think his confidence level is high, as is mine in terms of bringing him in games, that it's kind of minimized any desire I have to try to mold him back into the rotation right now, unless I knew it was going to be a longer stint," Molitor said. Santana looks to clinch series vs. Tribe

August Fagerstrom | MLB.com | August 7, 2015 The Indians and Twins play the second game of their three-game set in Cleveland after a slugfest in the series opener, with right-hander Trevor Bauer (8-8, 3.98 ERA) getting the start for the Indians, opposing Minnesota righty Ervin Santana (2-2, 3.89 ERA).

Bauer has allowed just three earned runs over his past 15 2/3 innings after experiencing a bit of a rough stretch in mid-July. His last start against Oakland was the first start in seven outings in which he didn't allow a home run.

Santana is making just his seventh start of the season after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs to begin the season. He's also struggled with the long ball, as he has in the past, allowing eight in his first six starts. Things to know about this game

• Both teams will be looking for their starter to work deep into the ballgame after the bullpens were heavily taxed in the series opener. Indians starter Cody Anderson lasted just 2 2/3 innings, while Twins hurler Mike Pelfrey went 3 2/3. • Newly acquired third baseman Chris Johnson will be in an Indians uniform for the first time. Johnson was acquired from the Braves prior to Friday's game for veterans Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn.

• Rookie third baseman Miguel Sano has reached base safely in 26 of his 29 games this season since making his Major League debut on July 2. Sano leads all rookies (minimum 100 plate appearances) in on-base percentage this season.

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Jump ahead, come-from-behind, short a starter

Derek Wetmore | 1500espn.com | August 8, 2015

The Twins snapped their losing streak in unconventional fashion with a win Friday against the Indians. Minnesota jumped to a six-run lead to open the scoring, and then blew the lead and had to fight back to win it on a late Torii Hunter home run.

This column presents 5 thoughts from Friday's game.

As always, feel free to ask questions or make observations in the comments. If you have a unique baseball observation during a game, feel free to share it with me on Twitter (@DerekWetmore). --

1. The Twins pounced early to bat around and score six runs on the Indians in the top of the 3rd inning. Eduardo Escobar singled home Aaron Hicks from second base, and thenBrian Dozier moved Escobar to third base with a double. After Joe Mauerwas intentionally walked and Miguel Sano popped out in the infield, Trevor Plouffe doubled on a line drive to left field. Then Torii Hunter hit a four-hopper through the shortstop hole to score another pair of Twins runners and chase starting pitcher Cody Anderson.

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Eddie Rosario capped the scoring that inning by driving home Hunter with his seventh triple of the season. (Rosario later tripled again, leaving him one three-bagger shy of Tony Oliva's rookie record for triples for the Twins.)

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2. Staked to a 6-0 lead, Pelfrey gave up four runs in the 3rd inning and then couldn't escape the 4th, as the Indians hung 9 runs on the board in those two innings. Pelfrey, who pitched really well his previous time out, turned in an ugly start in a game the Twins could've used a good start. Coming off a 4-game sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays, the Twins were looking for a good starting performance and they didn't get it.

Pelfrey lasted just 3 2/3 innings and allowed 7 earned runs on 10 hits and a walk. He left with the Twins leaded 7-6, and then reliever A.J. Achter served up a 3-run home run to Yan Gomes as Cleveland jumped to a 9-7 lead (one of the runs was charged to Pelfrey).

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3. Torii Hunter was the hero Friday, and his late solo home run saved the Twins from what might have been one of the worst losses of the season. The Twins jumped to a 6-0 lead and then gave it all back and then some, as Cleveland was once in control, 9-7. But Aaron Hicks (double), Brian Dozier (home run No. 24) and then Hunter (No. 18) drove in a run apiece to give Minnesota a 10-9 lead for closer Glen Perkins to nail down. Hunter wasn't the only one who drove in a run for the Twins, but his three hits, three RBIs, and late home run were a big reason the Twins held on to win.

Given what happened in Toronto, the loss would have been perceived as a backbreaker after a four-game sweep. The Indians are not as good as the Blue Jays, of course, but the go-ahead-and-then-come-from-behind win snapped a losing streak and prevented the Twins from falling below a .500 record. --

4. The Twins did some roster shuffling that has left them short one starting pitcher. Tommy Milone is on the disabled list and he was briefly replaced by Tyler Duffey, but after Duffey's bad start in Toronto, he's been optioned back to Triple-A Rochester. In his place, the Twins recalled reliever A.J. Achter, so they're short a man in the rotation. That should be fine in the short term, because with an off day Monday, the Twins can simply skip the spot in the rotation and keep the other four starters on regular rest. That would mean Ervin Santana and Phil Hughes pitch this weekend in Cleveland, and then Kyle Gibson starts on Tuesday and Pelfrey starts Wednesday. I'm curious to see what the Twins will do with the rotation spot. Pelfrey at times this season hasn't belonged in the rotation, and Friday was one of those times. There was optimism from the Twins when Milone went on the disabled list (mild forearm strain) that he'd be able to return in the allotted 15 days. But even if Milone can make that next start, it likely wouldn't be until Sunday, the 16th, which would leave the Twins short by one start (Saturday's), unless they decide to pitch someone on short rest.

My guess is the Twins will need to make a roster move, or move Friday's winner, Trevor May, from the bullpen back into the rotation. Manager Paul Molitor has indicated that he likes May in the bullpen role for now.

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5. Byron Buxton began his rehab assignment with the Rochester Red Wings on Friday. He batted leadoff as the DH and went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. That's Buxton's first game action in the high minors since spraining his thumb during a slide at second base in late June.

He'll have a maximum of 20 days to rehab it in the minors. If he's not ready to come up to the Twins by then, they'll have to option him to the minors. He could be back on the roster as a September call-up, but by waiting until rosters expand the Twins would need to burn an option year. It'll be interesting to see how they handle his roster spot if and when he's ready to be called up.

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Hunter’s 9th-inning home run gives Twins win in back-and-forth game

Associated Press | August 7, 2015

CLEVELAND -- Torii Hunter's ninth-inning homer gave Minnesota a 10-9 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night, ending the Twins' five-game losing streak.

Hunter connected against Bryan Shaw (1-2) to complete a comeback for the Twins, who couldn't hold an early 6-0 lead. Hunter also drove in two runs in the Twins' six-run third.

Trevor May (8-7) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Glen Perkins worked out of trouble in the ninth for his 30th save. Carlos Santana drew a one-out walk and pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn singled with two outs, but Jerry Sands struck out on three pitches to end the game. Cleveland, which traded outfielders Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher to Atlanta for third baseman Chris Johnson before the game, fell to a season-worst 10 games under .500.

The Twins were coming off a four-game sweep in Toronto that dropped them three games behind in the AL wild card race.

The Indians scored four runs in the third and five runs in the fourth. Yan Gomes had four RBI, including a three-run homer in the fourth that gave Cleveland a 9-7 lead. Minnesota scored a run in the fifth, and Brian Dozier's leadoff homer in the sixth tied it 9-all. Shaw retired Trevor Plouffe to start the ninth, but Hunter hit the first pitch into the right-field seats for his 18th homer. Twins starter Mike Pelfrey couldn't hold the big lead and remained winless since June 7, a stretch of 10 starts. The right-hander allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Michael Brantley had three RBI for the Indians, including a two-run double in the fourth.

Cleveland starter Cody Anderson retired the first six hitters but didn't get through the third, allowing six runs in 2 2/3 innings.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: OF Byron Buxton (sprained left thumb) has reported to Triple-A Rochester to begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment. He's been on the 15-day disabled list since June 26.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Ervin Santana, who is 3-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 18 career starts against the Indians, threw the only no-hitter in Progressive Field history on July 27, 2011 while with the Angels.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer pitched his first career complete game in his last home start, but lost 2-1 to Kansas City on July 28. His last victory was July 8 against Houston.