Well, at least we got one.  Having exhausted the White Sox by forcing them to run around the bases for three games, the Twins managed to take the final game of the series by a score of 4-3.

Let's hear it for Yohan Pino.  On a day when the Twins desperately needed their starter to give them some innings, he threw a no-hitter for 4.2 of them.  His final line was six strikeouts in six innings, giving up two runs on four hits and one walk.  That's three good games out of four and four out of his total of seven.  That may mean he's taken over the title of Staff Ace.

Meanwhile the offense did just enough.  Their first two batters drove in all four runs, which is not exactly the way you plan it, but it does mean the guys in the bottom of the order are getting on base.  Which is good, because the guys in the middle of the order weren't--the three, four, five hitters went a combined 0-for-12.  Sam Fuld, not exactly known as an RBI guy, got the key two-run single to put the Twins ahead.

As you know, the Twins have stumbled out of the gate since the all-star break.  With a ten-game homestand against three teams who are all below .500 (granted the Rays have been playing very well lately), it seemed like the Twins had a shot at getting off to a good start and even making a run at .500.  Instead, they fell on their faces.  The three games they won were all tight games that could've gone either way.  That cannot be said of the losses.  It's true that only two of them were blowouts, but at no point in the other five did one feel as if the Twins might actually come back and win.  The question now is whether this is simply a team slump or if we're going to see another late-season collapse, as we've seen in each of the last few years.

The Twins seem unlikely to score a lot of runs, so if they're going to avoid a collapse, it's going to be up to the pitchers, especially the starters.  There's reason for hope.  Phil Hughes hasn't pitched well lately, but he did for two months, so it's certainly possible that he can get it back together.   Kevin Correia had been pitching well until he stumbled the other day, and even then his numbers could've been better with better luck.  Kyle Gibson has had more good games than bad, so if his back problem is not serious he might do all right, too.  Even Yohan Pino has pitched well more often than not, as stated above.  A run at .500 no longer seems likely, but it seems possible that the Twins could play close to .500 ball over the last two months, which would at least avoid yet another ninety-loss season.  We can hope anyway.

And that's what keeps a fan going.  Hope.  So, I'll keep paying attention to the games, and I'll keep recapping them.  As I observed last night, I've seen a lot of bad Twins teams in my life.  None of them have made me go away.  Threats of moving the team didn't make me go away.  Carl Pohlad volunteering to have the team contracted didn't make me go away.  A few losses sure aren't going to do it.

Having missed a chance to make up ground at home, the Twins hit the road, starting in Kansas City.  Yesterday was the start of our season-ending fifty-nine game winning streak.  We're still on track for 105-57!