Twins score five in first inning and lead, 6-2, through three.
Rain may have delayed Carlos Carrasco's efforts Saturday night against Minnesota, but it didn't dampen Jim Thome's appreciation for the young pitcher's strong outing.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Tribe plays host to the Twins in the finale of a three-game series at Progressive Field.
Pitching matchup: RHP Mitch Talbot (9-11, 4.40) vs. RHP Kevin Slowey (11-6, 4.39).
In-game updates:
The Twins led, 6-2, through six innings.
Talbot exited after three batters because of injury.
Denard Span led off the game with a walk on five pitches. Indians manager Manny Acta and assistant athletic trainer Rick Jameyson visited Talbot.
Orlando Hudson singled and Joe Mauer drove in Span with a single. Acta and head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff came to get Talbot, who was on the disabled list in late July and early August because of a back strain.
Shoulder inflammation got Talbot this time. He is day-to-day. Justin Masterson relieved Talbot. Masterson was supposed to finish the season as a late-inning reliever because of an innings cap.
After Jason Kubel flied out, Michael Cuddyer singled to load the bases. Jim Thome grounded to second for what should have been a routine double play. Instead, for reasons known only to Luis Valbuena, he hurried his turn toward second and fumbled the ball in the process. Credit Thome with an RBI on the fielder's choice/error.
Masterson's second pitch to Delmon Young skipped to the backstop, enabling Mauer to score for a 3-0 lead. Young hit a sacrifice fly to right.
Danny Valencia singled to center. Thome, who does not run well, had every intention of stopping at third, but coach Scott Ullger pinwheeled him. Thome barely beat Michael Brantley's throw to make it 5-0.
Valby redeems himself, somewhat: Valbuena's two-out, two-run double in the second pulled the Indians within three. Both runs off Slowey were unearned because of an error on shortstop Alexi Casilla.
Lost opportunity: The Indians loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but failed to score. With one out, Chris Gimenez, Michael Brantley and Asdrubal Cabrera singled. Shin-Soo Choo struck out swinging and Travis Hafner grounded to second. On Hafner's roller up the middle, Orlando Hudson made a terrific play, throwing across his body from the outfield grass.
Twins add one: Minnesota stretched the advantage to 6-2 in the sixth. Jason Kubel led off with a double -- snapping a streak of 13 retired by Masterson. Kubel scored on Cuddyer's single.
Pregame notes: Twins designated hitter Jim Thome liked what he saw from Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco on Saturday night.
Carrasco, in his third start of the season and eighth of his career, pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings in the Tribe's 1-0 loss in 12. Thome won it for the Twins with a homer -- his 587th -- off Justin Germano.
Carrasco gave up five hits, walked three and struck out four. Thome was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and walk against him.
"I like Carrasco a lot,'' Thome said. "That kid has good stuff. He showed great poise, he pitched under control. The Indians have a good young arm there.
"His change-up really impressed me. He threw me two, and one of them had screwball action to it. He threw his fastball to both sides of the plate, and the fastball had late life.''
Carrasco is 0-0 with a 2.18 ERA in 20 1/3 innings.
Streaking: Thome has homered in four straight games. He has five homers in that span.
Much appreciated: Before his first at-bat Saturday, Thome received a significant ovation, those cheering far outnumbering those booing.
"You try to block things out when you're going to the plate, but that didn't go unnoticed,'' Thome said. "It gave me chills. Cleveland always has been a very special place for me -- there's no denying that or hiding that. I love the Indians fans.''
When Thome returned to then-Jacobs Field for the first time since leaving after the 2002 season to sign with the Phillies, he was booed lustily. Each subsequent return has prompted fewer boos and more cheers.
More on The Thomenator: Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson thought he knew what a classic Thome homer looked like. Then Hudson got a chance to play with Thome in Minnesota this season after both signed as free agents. They played together with the Dodgers at the end of the 2009 season, but Thome did not hit a homer.
Thome has hit 23 home runs in 245 official at-bats for the Twins, including a blast that hit the top of the flag pole at Target Field in Minneapolis. Estimated distance it would have traveled: 480 feet.
"Dude, you can't describe them other than to say: 'Moon shots, absolute moon shots,''' Hudson said. "I grew up watching him on TV and it was impressive, but when you see him hit one from the dugout....You say to yourself, 'That is one strong human being. A strong, strong man.'''
Hudson said it has been a thrill to be Thome's teammate.
"Oh, my goodness -- an A-plus veteran,'' Hudson said. "He's the ultimate professional, a guy every team would love to have. You can learn so much from him, on and off the field.''
Lineups:
Twins (84-58) -- 1. Denard Span cf; 2. Orlando Hudson 2b; 3. Joe Mauer c; 4. Jason Kubel rf; 5. Michael Cuddyer 1b; 6. Jim Thome dh; 7. Delmon Young lf; 8. Danny Valencia 3b; 9. Alexi Casilla ss; and Slowey.
Indians (58-84) -- 1. Michael Brantley cf; 2. Asdrubal Cabrera ss; 3. Shin-Soo Choo rf; 4. Travis Hafner dh; 5. Jayson Nix 3b; 6. Jordan Brown lf; 7. Matt LaPorta 1b; 8. Luis Valbuena 2b; 9. Chris Gimenez c; and Talbot.
Umpires: P -- Tony Randazzo; 1b -- D.J. Reyburn; 2b -- Paul Nauert; 3b -- Brian Gorman.