DETROIT — A couple of extras from the Twins' sixth straight win:
Byron Buxton thought Miguel Cabrera's fly ball was headed straight for the center field wall when it was hit, but when he turned back, he discovered an alarming fact: It wasn't.
"As hard as he hit it, I thought it was going to stay straight. But I took a glance at the wall and once I looked back I realized it was on [the other] side of my shoulder," Buxton said. "I had a little bit of time to turn my head back the other way and pick the ball back up."
Yeah, not much time. He had to dive — toward the wall, not away from it — for the ball.
"I knew I was close to the warning track. I measured off the warning track to know how many feet I had," he said.
"I had a step or two before the wall was coming, so that made me more comfortable."
Once the ball was secured, Buxton somersaulted to a stop at the base of the wall, then hopped up and pumped his fist in celebration.
Best of all, Buxton said, was that it was a chance to make up for a similar play last week against Texas, in which he got to the ball, leaped, and didn't make the catch. That play, manager Paul Molitor said, was as spectacular as this one, except for the finish.
"That's a play that I didn't make back home when the ball was slicing behind me," Buxton said. "I was able to pick it up and I was able to make a good play to help our team out."
XXX
Miguel Sano is the Twins' most productive hitter, but it comes with a heaping helping of strikeouts. Sure, they may not be as damaging to an offense as once thought, but it's still worth marveling over his pace.
Sano has already surpassed 150 strikeouts on the season, a territory that no other Twin has ever reached, and he's zeroing in on his franchise record of 178, set last year. And how's this for a bit of symmetry: Friday was Sano's 300th career game — and the 150th in which he struck out at least twice.
