MINNEAPOLIS -- The deciding run was unearned, and for the second consecutive night, so was Minnesota's win.
''I can think of some other bad ways to lose a game," said Mike Timlin. But, in actuality, are there?
Because, there is getting beat, and there is losing, and the Sox lost for the second time in as many days last night, this time 4-3 in Minnesota's last at-bat, against a Twins team that has plated 16 runs in two games, six unearned.
Unnerving?
''I don't think I'm ready to go there," said Sox manager Terry Francona.
He'd grant you uncharacteristic. This game, one the Sox led, 3-0, after five innings, came down to the ninth, with Timlin on the mound. The leadoff man, Michael Cuddyer, grounded to Bill Mueller, whose throw reached a cruising altitude too high for the glove of first baseman Roberto Petagine. Cuddyer pulled into second on the throwing error. Nick Punto, the next hitter, pushed a bunt to the left side, where Timlin picked it up.
''Mike throws a pretty good sinker," Francona noted, wryly. But this wasn't the time or place for a throw low and with movement. The ball skipped past Tony Graffanino, who was covering first, and trickled into right field as Cuddyer scampered home to the delight of the 40,626 under the Metrodome bubble.
''There's no excuses," said the no-nonsense, full-responsibility Timlin, who sustained his second loss (4-2, 1.32 ERA). ''No bad jump. No foot slippage. I threw it away. I lost the game."
Mueller, meanwhile, did have something of an excuse. Cuddyer's ball hopped late on him. He didn't have much difficulty staying with it, but when he landed, his feet weren't aligned as he would have wanted.
''Once I jumped up, I probably came down a little too far apart," Mueller said. ''I didn't have my feet underneath me."
A night earlier, Mueller's fourth-inning throwing error allowed Michael Ryan to reach base. That began an inning in which Minnesota plated three unearned runs, pumping a 4-0 lead up to 7-0. The Sox have now allowed six unearned runs in two games after allowing five in their preceding 32 games.
The defensive miscues only highlighted the fact that the Sox had chances last night -- in the seventh and eighth innings -- to win this game.
Gabe Kapler and Johnny Damon (three hits) singled to lead off the seventh, the game tied at 3-3. Edgar Renteria (0 for 5) attempted to advance Kapler and Damon with a bunt but pushed it directly to reliever Jesse Crain, who cut down Kapler at third. Crain walked David Ortiz, loading the bases for Manny Ramirez, who's stalking Lou Gehrig's all-time grand slam record. But Ramirez grounded the first pitch he saw to Cuddyer, who began a 5-4-3, inning-ending double play.
