MINNEAPOLIS _ Ervin Santana couldn't make a pitch. The Twins offense couldn't produce a key hit. It led to a 5-1 loss to the Rockies in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Target Field on Thursday.
It got to the point where, in the middle of the Twins third straight loss, manager Paul Molitor tried something unusual.
In the fifth inning, he gathered the team in the dugout for a midgame speech. He knew Santana was frustrated about his lack of command. He knew his offense was frustrated for not driving runs, as the Twins ended up 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
And he knew many players weren't happy with some ball and strike calls by home plate umpire David Rackley.
"Just a sense of something hanging around that didn't feel very good," Molitor said. "I was just trying to have them push forward a little bit, which is what you should do anyway."
And part of his advice was to quit worrying about ball and strike calls they disagreed with and play through it.
"That was in there somewhere," Molitor said.
But the Twins already were trailing in the game and could not dig out of the hole against Rockies right-hander German Marquez and the Colorado bullpen.
Santana's impeccable control was a significant reason why he stormed to a 5-0 start, but his spot-hitting has been off in recent starts. And it caught up with him on Thursday.
Colorado's Nolan Arenado jumped on Santana for a first inning home run, on a belt-high 3-2 fastball that was over the plate. Santana threw first-pitch strikes to just two of the first 14 batters he faced on Thursday and fought from behind throughout the early innings.
"Especially the way they have been swinging the bat," Santana said. "They are very aggressive and right now everything is going their way. When you are behind in the count, something is going to happen in favor of the other team."
The third inning escalated quickly on Santana. He walked the No. 9 hitter, Tony Wolters, to start the inning. Charlie Blackmon singled, and the runners were bunted to second and third. Santana fell behind Arenado 2-0 then decided to intentionally walk him.
Santana put a fastball on the inside corner to Reynolds, who hit it just inside the bag at third for a two-run double. Ian Desmond added an RBI single to put the Rockies up 4-0.
An RBI single by Blackmon on the fourth gave Colorado a 5-0 lead. Santana retired the last seven batters he faced, but the damage was done. In seven innings, Santana gave up five runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts. He fell to 6-2 as his ERA rose from a major league-best 1.50 to 2.07. He's walked nine batters over his last two starts and 15 in four starts this month.
The Twins' club record-tying streak of homering in 16 consecutive games was snapped as they lost their fourth consecutive home game.
Marquez went five innings, giving up on run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. He had a 15-inning scoreless streak before Dozier's RBI in the fifth.
And that was it for the Twins offense, as they were unable to bail a suddenly struggling Santana out.
"His command has been a little bit off his last couple of starts," Molitor said, "but he's trying to find way to pitch through that."
