Under normal circumstances, Ron Gardenhire might try to keep Nick Punto on the roster and give him three or four days off to let his hamstring heal. But these aren't normal circumstances.
Already restricted to just three bench players by the decision to use a 13-man pitching staff for the next couple of weeks, Gardenhire decided to place Punto on the disabled list after Thursday's game -- a game in which Punto doubled twice and made a couple of sterling defensive plays at shortstop. "I just don't have any choice. We don't have enough players right now to carry someone who's not healthy," Gardenhire said.
Punto understood but was frustrated by the hamstring injury that won't go away. He was activated Saturday, played just three times, and went back on the shelf.
"It might have been something I could nurse through and play at an 85 percent clip, but (Gardenhire) didn't want me to do that," said Punto, bothered by a strained left hamstring for much of May. "I was putting him in a bind. I understand he's probably looking out for my best interests, but it's real frustrating."
ORIOLES 3, TWINS 2: Scott Baker returned from a month on the disabled list with five capable innings, and the Twins limited Baltimore to seven hits. Trouble is, two of them were home runs, dooming the Twins to their second loss in three games against the Orioles. Alexi Casilla collected three hits but struck out in the ninth inning with the tying run at second base.
