MINNEAPOLIS - The warm memories washed over Mike Redmond upon his return to Minnesota, where he spent five seasons as a beloved backup catcher and clubhouse cutup.
Then Redmond's Miami Marlins hit the chilly diamond at Target Field, and the same problems that have plagued his young and rebuilding team returned.
The sluggish Marlins offence went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and once again failed to give the starting pitcher much support in Miami's 4-3 loss to the Twins Tuesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
"Obviously we need to score more runs," said Redmond, who is in his first year as a big league manager. "It's been the same story all season. We're getting enough on the mound."
Jose Fernandez (0-2) gave up four runs and six hits for the Marlins, who are off to a franchise-worst 4-16 start after an off-season salary purge. Joe Mahoney had two hits and two RBIs for Miami, which is last in the National League in most major offensive categories, including batting average (.211), home runs (six), RBIs (44) and on-base percentage (.270).
Oswaldo Arcia hit his first career home run and Kevin Correia (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out five in seven innings for the Twins, who have won five in a row.
The Marlins squandered a big chance in the eighth inning when they had the bases loaded and one out against Jared Burton. Juan Pierre scored on a groundout by Greg Dobbs to make it 4-3, but Justin Ruggiano grounded out to third to end it.
"I take a lot of heat for us not scoring," said Pierre, who was 1 for 4 to drop his batting average to .194. "I'm the leadoff guy and I'm supposed to get on base, and I haven't done my job at all to get on base. I'm supposed to make it easier for the rest of the lineup. I'll take a lot of the heat for the offensive struggles."
The teams were supposed to open their series on Monday night, but the latest snowstorm put that one on ice. It was the third home game the Twins have had to postpone because of weather this year 鈥� there were just five in the first three seasons of Target Field.
Grounds crew members and ballpark personnel worked through the night to clear the heavy, wet snow from the field, seats and stairways.
The temperature at first pitch was 38 degrees, but the field, which has heater coils underneath it to combat cold temperatures, was lush and green.
Correia needed just 87 pitches to breeze through seven innings for his fourth straight time to open this season. He went at least seven innings just three times all last season for the Pirates.
"I think it's harder to hit in (the cold weather) than pitch in it," Correia said. "It's kind of tough to get a feel on the baseball. I've thrown well in the cold. I wouldn't call myself happy to be out there. I can't wait for the 70-degree weather to come around."
Miami took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a single from Mahoney but Fernandez, initially was scheduled to start the second game, gave it all back in the bottom half.
Chris Parmelee and Trevor Plouffe started the inning with singles and Arcia stood and admired as his homer bounced just short of the plaza beyond the right-field seats for a 4-2 lead.
"We had a lot of easy outs," Redmond said. "We have to figure out a way to get on base, that's really it. I don't know how else I can say it."
Redmond got a nice ovation before the game. The gregarious veteran was a favourite in the clubhouse and is etched in Twins lore for his penchant for stripping down and walking around the locker room area naked when things weren't going well, his way of trying to insert levity.
"He just knows a lot about the game," Mauer said. "And the way he related to younger players, especially myself, you kind of knew that he'd be really good at being a manager later on. It's really exciting for me to see him over there, and it should be fun."
NOTES: Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 0 for 3, dropping his average to .176. He was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning, but remained in the game. ... The run Burton allowed in the eighth was his first in nine appearances this year. ... The Twins were sending RHP Mike Pelfrey (2-1, 7.30 ERA) to the mound for Game 2 to face Miami RHP Ricky Nolasco (0-2, 3.86).
