CLEVELAND — Carlos Gomez returned from Lutheran Hospital and limped slowly through the clubhouse tonight after Cleveland fended off a ninth-inning rally to defeat the Twins 5-4.

Considering how scary it looked in the first inning, when Gomez was carted off on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace, the injury news was positive.

Gomez had an MRI exam and was diagnosed with a bruised lower back. He was dizzy and sore and probably won’t know just how sore until Saturday morning. He had a pain injection. Doctors told him he can play when he feels up to it, but he made no promises how soon that will be.

“He did everything he could to make a play,” Manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He made a heck of a play. It’s as good of a catch as you’ll see up against the wall like that.”

(*) Denard Span injured his tailbone and groin on his collision with the left-center field wall. He said he too will be sore but doesn’t figure to miss any playing time.

He moved to center field and went 3-for-4 off Cleveland lefthander Cliff Lee. Span is now batting .462 (12-for-26) against lefties. This, after batting .174 off lefties (and .409 against righties) at Class AAA Rochester this season.

“Really, really good at-bats against a good lefty,” Gardenhire said. “He’s getting it done, playing good outfield. You put him in center, you don’t lose a heck of a lot. He’s a good outfielder.”

(*) Still, the anger was obvious after this loss, their fifth in a row. Nick Punto and Mike Redmond sat on a couch in a daze. Gardenhire lamented Redmond’s ninth-inning liner and the fact Cleveland first baseman Ryan Garko was playing in — just the right spot to make a diving catch — probably anticipating a sacrifice bunt.

Brendan Harris and Punto bounced out, ending the game. The Twins couldn’t convert after Justin Morneau’s two-run homer and Delmon Young’s double, all with no outs.

Add to it the fact Chicago got a two-out, two-run, ninth-inning homer from Jermaine Dye to defeat the Tigers 6-5, and the Twins now trail the White Sox by 3 1/2 games.

Note: Adam Everett went 2-for-4 with two singles and a throwing error in his second game for Class AAA Rochester. He will play three more games on his rehab assignment before the Twins are faced with a decision about his future.

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