Three Twins postgame thoughts from LEN3: Perkins, Jepsen, Escobar, and more

Here are three thoughts following the Twins' 5-3 victory over the Rays on Wednesday.

PERKINS INJURY UPDATE: We were not aware that Glen Perkins was unavailable for tonight's game, so it was a little surprising to learn that he had been battling back spasms since Sunday. ``He's been limited here the last couple of days. We're hoping here that with treatment he's going to be available here in the short term." Perkins said his back began to act up on him while he warmed up for the 11th inning on Sunday against Baltimore. He was able to pitch through it, but his back knotted up on him once he got to the dugout. Perkins said his back has been feeling better and doesn't think he'll be sidelined much longer. ``I went to bed thinking I was going to pitch today," he said. ``And it just wasn't quite there. I know I feel better now than I did at this time (Tuesday). So we'll see how it goes." He said the problem is his lower back and has nothing to do with the sore neck he battled last week.

JEPSEN BIG HELP: After his Twins debut, Kevin Jepsen has been nails. He pitched another 1-2-3 ninth on Wednesday for his third save as a Twin. The Twins bullpen was short on Wednesday with Perkins out and Trevor May and Casey Fien needing days off because of workload issues. The Twins needed Duensing in the sixth and they really needed Jepsen to close. Jepsen has a 1.42 ERA since joining the Twins, which has turned out to be a good move.

ESCOBAR DIGS THE LONG BALL: Twins hitting coach Tom Brunansky approached Eduardo Escobar on Tuesday about bunting for hits more often. ``I don't like it, you know," Escobar told us of the talk. ``I go up there and swing." He sure did on Wednesday with two solo home runs. His seven homers and 39 RBI are both career highs. I jokingly refer to Escobar as, `Eddie The Stick." on twitter, but he brought it tonight. He hit a Chris Archer fastball in the sixth and a splitter from Brandon Gomes in the eighth. And they weren't cheapies. ``He's got a little bit of sock," Molitor said. ``It doesn't surface too often in the games. I know he likes his b.p. power rounds. But if he gets one, it is going to go."

BONUS: Shane Robinson with to Tampa Jesuit High here, and had a bunch of friends and family at the game on Wednesday. He didn't disappoint, getting a double, walk and scoring twice. His one mistake was a sinking fly ball that he misplayed for his first error of the season. That allowed Kevin Keirmaier to reach second, but he was thrown out trying to tag up for third on a fly out to Sheriff Rosario in right. The walk was huge, because that became the first of two big runs in the seventh. ``I'll fast forward for you," Rays starter Chris Archer said. ``Seventh inning,. shouldn't have walked the leadoff guy (Robinson). One-two count. Leadoff walks usually score, and he did."

BONUS, BONUS: If the Twins win Thursday's game, they will sweep the Rays at Tropicana Field for the first time since May 6-8, 2005. That is all.....