Brief Notes

It's too late for me to put together a full notes column, so here are a few brief, scattered thoughts:

1.) It won't be often that Joe Nathan is the guy who lets the bullpen down. Eddie Guardado did a great job in the 8th (and he just looked right in a Twins uniform again), and unfortunately Nathan gave up that leadoff double and didn't get any help from Punto with the error. It was just one of those nights.

2.) I was completely unaware until I looked at the scoreboard that the White Sox and Orioles had completed a game from four months ago before starting tonight's game -- nice to see that the Twins are only a game back, rather than 1.5.

3.) Liriano's ERA is down to 3.83 after yet another respectable start. This was, incidentally, the first game he's pitched the Twins have lost since he returned to the big leagues.

4.) I'm annoyed we were beat by R.A. Dickey. Nothing else to say about that one.

5.) I'm not sure why Ron Gardenhire decided to call out Mike Lamb by saying that he was more laid back than the Twins had hoped for, and that the team "play[s] at a different level." I guess if I were talking about a just-fired employee, I probably would have said something to effect of "unfortunately, it didn't work out -- we wish Mike the best of luck." I just found it a bit out of character, and I assume there's a back story there somewhere.