The Twins are alive, energized, optimistic. The Indians are subdued, disheartened, annoyed.
One pitch did that Tuesday.
So say the Indians, anyway, after the Twins struck for three runs in only four batters, a sudden microburst of offense that victimized one of their more frequent tormentors and carried them to a 3-1 victory at Target Field and edged them closer to a playoff spot.
Aaron Hicks tripled, Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer both doubled, and Ervin Santana, Glen Perkins and Kevin Jepsen made that wisp of a rally stand up, beating Danny Salazar in the same way he had dominated them for five consecutive meetings. Combined with the Astros' 4-3 loss to the Angels in Houston, the victory pulled Minnesota within two games of the final wild-card berth in the American League, and put a 2½-game margin between the Twins and Indians.
"We were just able to take advantage of some mistakes," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
The biggest one, said Salazar, was made by home plate umpire Tom Hallion, a call that triggered the Twins' lone outburst. Salazar, who allowed three total runs in two previous starts against Minnesota this year, had retired the first eight Twins he faced when, with two outs in the third and a 3-2 count to Eduardo Escobar, he broke a 94-mph inside fastball over the plate for strike three.
That's Salazar's version. Hallion's (and Escobar's) was, the ball stayed inside for ball four.
"I did have him struck out. The umpire, he didn't agree," Salazar complained afterward. "That got me thinking a little bit too much on the mound, and got me out of my rhythm."