That's more like it.

Ricky Nolasco pitched a good game.  There, I said it.  It wasn't an almost good game, it was a good game.  He gave up one run in six innings, and that's a good game in anyone's book.  He did give up eight hits, and he threw a hundred pitches in those six innings, so his game score is only fifty-five.  Still, he didn't walk anybody, and the bottom line is one run in six innings.   That's a good game, and I'm giving him credit for it.

With the World Cup over, at least as far as the United States is concerned, the Twins offense decided to stop putting up a soccer score.  When you score ten runs, there are a lot of positives on offense, of course.  Eduardo Nunez was batting leadoff and playing shortstop, neither of which I would have done, but he had three hits and a walk, so it "worked".  Chris Parmelee batted third.  It's pretty amazing that at the start of the season he wasn't even on the team, three weeks ago he was below the Mendoza line, and now he's batting in the spot where you usually put your best hitter.  He got two more hits, giving him an eleven-game hitting streak and raising his average to .279.  Kendrys Morales got three hits.  Kurt Suzuki got two to put his average back over .300.

Joe Mauer got a hit, too, of course, a two-run double.  He also got a strained right oblique, if we're willing to believe the Twins' training staff.  He's going to be evaluated today.  I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping he'll stay out until he's actually healthy.  I've had enough of seeing guys trying to play when they shouldn't be playing.  Yes, we appreciate your desire and your toughness, but if you can't be effective, you're really not helping the team, so stay out until you can.

If Mauer stays out for a while, the Twins would presumably move Parmelee in to first base, leaving them with an outfield of Willingham. Fuld, and Arcia.  When they wanted to give someone a day off, Parmelee would move back to the outfield with Morales at first base.  They could leave Parmelee in the outfield and use Morales as the first baseman, but that leaves them with no DH worthy of the name.

If Mauer goes on the DL, someone needs to come up and replace him.  They could use a center fielder, but Hicks hasn't done much since going to New Britain.  In fact, they really don't have an outfielder on the forty-man roster deserving of a call-up other than perhaps Herrmann, and I have a hard time thinking that what he's done in Rochester in 106 at-bats is real.  One option they have is to bring up Kennys Vargas to play first base, leaving Parmelee in the outfield.  He's hitting ,306 with an .881 OPS in New Britain.  It doesn't look like a fluke--he's had an OPS over.800 everywhere he's been other than his first year as a pro in the GCL.  Could he make the jump?  Who knows?  I don't expect the Twins to bring him up, but I didn't expect them to bring up Jorge Polanco, either.  Maybe the Twins will take a chance and do something creative.

It should be noted that last night's win moved the Twins up to fourth place, with the White Sox moving into last where they belong.  Today we have a day game, as Kevin Correia tries to give the Twins a series victory.  Will he do it?  Do you really have to ask that question?  We've just started our season-ending eighty-one-game winning streak!  We're still on track for 128-44!