Mother's Day turnout is large to see Louie Varland win at Target Field

Minnesota's own Louie Varland gifted his mother, Kim, something of a second Mother's Day present and his Twins teammates a 16-3 victory over the Cubs on Sunday afternoon at Target Field.

The righthander pitched a career high 6⅓ innings and earned his second career victory and first at Target Field in his fourth big-league start this season. He gave up three runs on four hits, including two solo homers, walked one and struck out seven. The Twins led 8-0 after three innings and 8-2 when he left with one out in the seventh inning.

"It was electric," Varland said. "I loved it, absolutely loved it."

He estimated about 100 family members and friends came downtown to watch him pitch against San Diego last Tuesday among an announced attendance at 16,882.

Sunday's crowd was announced at 33,149.

"I would say bigger," he said about those he knows who came to watch him to pitch. "Especially today: Sunday, Mother's Day. I feel like everybody was out there today."

Varland grew up across the river, attended North St. Paul High and Concordia University in St. Paul. He attributed his performance to command of throwing all four of his pitches for strikes. He also credited slowing down his mind and his body.

"Things worked out," Varland said. "I felt more like myself."

He was asked if he already had gotten his mother flowers or a present yet. She was among those family and friends who attended the game.

"I got her a gift already and a phone call," Varland said. "So I'm good."

Right fielder Trevor Larnach went 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a three-run homer that started the Twins' seven-run third inning.

He was recalled Saturday morning from Class AAA St. Paul along with pitcher Cole Sands, arrived at Target Field at 11:15 a.m, and was in that afternoon's lineup.

Just a coincidence that the Twins have scored 27 runs in two games after he was recalled?

"I don't know if it's just me and Cole Sands' luck, but it so happens to be we put up 10-plus runs when we're here," Larnach said slyly. "So maybe we need to stick around."

The Twins left after Sunday's game for a week's trip to California with their traveling party wearing NBA jerseys both modern and retro. The trip's theme is the NBA playoffs. The occasion is, well, a chance to have some fun and do some team building.

Manager Rocco Baldelli bought a vintage Timberwolves Kevin Garnett jersey locally after a different one he ordered online and paid $50 for overnight arrival hadn't shipped by Sunday.

"The blue with the green lettering," Baldelli said. "It's a nice, old-school jersey."

A smattering of others that hung in players' lockers Sunday: Miami's Dwyane Wade, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, Seattle's Gary Payton, Orlando's Shaquille O'Neal and Sacramento's Jason Williams.

"Anything you can do to get guys talking about something other than just baseball," Baldelli said. "You've got to have fun when you're here and you've got to get guys going. There's different ways to do that. This is one of them."

• As has become an annual tradition, players hit with pink Louisville Slugger bats Sunday in a "going to bat against breast cancer" campaign on Mother's Day. Twins broadcaster Marney Gellner appeared on the field pregame and in the team's TV and radio broadcast booths and urged women to have regular mammograms. She learned she had breast cancer in February and told radio listeners that after surgery, she is now cancer-free because of early detection.

• Injured lefthander Caleb Thielbar (right oblique strain) is doing gym work with a medicine ball and plyometric throws and therapeutic exercises as well. An integral part of the Twins bullpen, Thielbar reported no fatigue or discomfort rehabbing on Saturday, but hasn't moved on to playing catch, Baldelli said.

• The Saints dropped the finale of a 6-6 homestand, surrendering all of the runs in the final six innings in a 15-3 loss to Indianapolis. Matt Wallner homered for the second consecutive day for the Saints, who led 2-0 after three innings before Indy went ahead in a five-run fourth and cemented the victory with a seven-run ninth.

• Twins prospects Cory Lewis, A.J. Labas, Gabriel Yanez and Ben Ethridge nearly combined for a perfect game but settled for a 28-batter no-hitter for Class A Fort Myers in a 3-0 victory over Tampa. Daury Arias was Tampa's only batter to reach, after a wild pitch on a strikeout by Yanez leading off the eighth inning.