This was after Gardy punted his cap Thursday night, after fans pelted the field with baseballs, after Ozzie pulled the White Sox into the dugout, after a five-minute delay.

Chicago led 4-3. Seventh inning. The Metrodome was a madhouse. The count was 1-2.

John Danks hadn’t walked a batter in five innings. But rookie Denard Span calmly took the next three pitches for balls and trotted to first base.

So after the 10-6 Twins victory, when reporters quizzed Justin Morneau about the impact of Gardy’s tirade, the 2006 MVP steered his answer toward the team’s leadoff man.

“He didn’t get rattled,” Morneau said. “Takes three tough pitches, gets on base and the inning goes from there. That’s a lot of composure for a guy with not too many at-bats in the big leagues.”

In the other clubhouse, when reporters quizzed A.J. Pierzynski about Gardy’s antics, he said, “I knew Gardy was going to throw his hat eventually. It’s his go-to move. He usually doesn’t kick it though, that was pretty entertaining.

“The bottom line is we can’t walk that guy. We got him 1-2 — leadoff guy with a one run lead — John wasn’t trying to walk him, but he did.”

And Danks said, “It all started with me walking Span in the seventh. It’s one of those things. I don’t have a reason for it, I just couldn’t make the pitches. I wasn’t trying extra hard, and I wasn’t distracted by the break in the game.

“I just shouldn’t have walked him, and I have to deal with that.”

Span has batted leadoff 11 times for the Twins, batting .275/.370/.375., with four strikeouts in 48 plate appearances.

In 90 games as the Twins’ leadoff hitter, Carlos Gomez batted .246./.281/.345 with 97 strikeouts in 415 plate appearances.

Given the same situation, with that 1-2 count against Danks, think Gomez might have been a little amped?

Since moving to the No. 9 spot, Gomez is batting .438/.438/.500.

Small sample sizes, yes, but I think the Twins are pretty happy with the switch.

Note: Check back later for tonight’s starting lineups and pregame notes, as the Twins open a three-game series against Cleveland, with Nick Blackburn (7-6, 3.69 ERA) opposing Indians lefty Jeremy Sowers (1-5, 5.86).

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