FORT MYERS, Fla. – Rocco Baldelli wouldn't admit to smiling when Twins infielder Ehire Adrianza was fooled by the hidden-ball trick on Monday.
Tigers defeat Twins 3-0, scoring off Taylor Rogers and holding Minnesota to three hits
March 12, 2019 at 4:20AM
"But I might've smirked," the Twins manager said.
Close enough, since there wasn't much else for the Twins to smile over. Their offense was limited to three hits by Tyler Ross and three Detroit relievers, Taylor Rogers surrendered three runs on two doubles and a JaCoby Jones home run, and the Twins lost 3-0 to the Tigers at Hammond Stadium.
Adrianza lined a third-inning single, but his time on base was brief. He dived back into the base when Ross tried to pick him off, but didn't notice that Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera pretended to throw the ball back to Ross. As Adrianza stood up, momentarily off the base, Cabrera tagged him again.
"It happens. Miggy has been working on that play for about 15 years, and he's getting pretty good at it," Baldelli said. "Being a spring training game, it's probably a lot easier to take."
Byron Buxton doubled and Nick Gordon tripled, but both were stranded on base as the Twins were shut out for the second time this spring.
Kyle Gibson worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the third inning and did not give up a run despite giving up five hits in his second start.
PHIL MILLER
about the writer
A former second-round pick of the Rangers, Alex Speas has pitched in four major league games.
