ST. PETERSBURG -- Ronny Rodriguez took a couple of steps back at third base Monday night and immediately caught the coaches' notice. They had warned him about the bunt threat Carlos Gomez presented, and they wanted Rodriguez playing in.
Infield coach Ramon Santiago whistled from the dugout, but Rodriguez didn't notice. Gomez did, and put a bunt single on the soft turf of Tropicana Field to bring in a run in the seventh inning.
"We should make that play," Gardenhire lamented. "We should have an out somewhere -- home, first, wherever.