Bleh.

I missed nearly all of this game, so I'm relying on the box score/play-by-play record.  We apparently did not get the good Mike Pelfrey, although he did better after the first inning.  Given the number of singles he gave up, I'm thinking it's possible that bad luck and/or bad defense played a part, but I don't really know.  Brian Duensing came into the game in the fifth and couldn't get much accomplished.  It was a good spot in which to use J. R. Graham, and they did, and the best thing you can say about that is that he allowed them to save the relievers they actually consider good.  In fairness, Graham had been pitching quite well until this game, and everybody's going to have a clunker once in a while, especially when facing a team like Detroit.

The offense managed only five hits, all singles.  This is a game in which, if this was a Minor Details recap, I might well have written "Batting stars:  none.  Pitching stars:  none."  One good note is that Aaron Hicks got one of the five hits and is now 4-for-11 since his return.  Small sample size and all that, but it's still better than going 0-for-11.  It might help his confidence and help him relax a little bit.  If he could actually hit, it would give the Twins their first real big league center fielder since they traded away Denard Span and Ben Revere.

Sorry this wasn't much of a recap, but I guess it wasn't much of a game, either.  The Twins come home to host Tampa Bay tonight.  Staff Ace Phil Hughes, who really hasn't pitched like a Staff Ace even though he's won his last two games, goes for the Twins.  The Rays are scheduled to use Jake Odorizzi, who was fairly good last year and has been really good so far this year.  Hughes will need to be on his game.  I'm confident that he will be.  Yesterday was a mere bump in the road.  We'll just have to settle for 148-16!