If you're having trouble spelling Darin Mastroianni's name, you're not alone.
Postgame: Anyway you spell it, Mastroianni delivered for the Twins
Darin Mastroianni, an outfielder claimed off waivers in February, picked the right game to deliver his first two major league hits and first three RBI.
May 12, 2012 at 7:03AM
He got his first major league hit in the fifth inning of the Twins' 7-6 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday night, a two-run single off Kyle Drabek that also gave him first two career RBI.
The Twins did the customary ritual of retrieving that ball for Mastroianni to have as a keepsake. But when they gave it to him later, they played a little trick. First Justin Morneau handed him a ball that he'd marked up with his own version of the night's events.
"He spelled my name wrong and told me at first it was a dribbler up the middle off Kyle -- or Karl -- Drabek," Mastroianni said, proudly displaying that ball next to the actual keepsake. "So that's going to stay with me, too. It'll be a fun little story later, down the road."
How did Morneau spell Mastroianni's name?
"With like 4 N's, no I, no A," Mastroianni said.
It gave everyone a good laugh at the end of a long night, but this shouldn't overshadow the significance of Mastroianni's performance. The 26-year-old outfielder, who was claimed off waivers from Toronto on Feb. 2, added a key RBI single in the seventh inning and finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.
"It's just a dream come true," he said. "It was great tonight to get those [hits] to help the team win. That's my goal, to find something to do each game to help us win. That's kind of how I've played my whole life. Try not to worry about anything but just finding ways to help the team win, whether that's on the bases, offensively or defensively."
After an incredible 25-year career that saw him become MLB's all-time stolen bases leader and the greatest leadoff hitter ever, Rickey Henderson died Friday at age 65.
