The contracts of Gardenhires coaches were expiring

PHILADELPHIA -- Cody Asches rough night in the field ruined Cliff Lees effort on the mound. Luis Jimenez hit a tiebreaking double in the sixth, Matt Shoemaker tossed five effective innings and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Tuesday night. Lee allowed four unearned runs and six hits, striking out seven in seven innings. He was hurt by Asches three errors at third base. "I know he wasnt doing it on purpose," Lee said. "He had some funky balls hit to him." Mike Trout went 1 for 5 with more than 4,000 fans in the crowd from his hometown of Millville, New Jersey. The two-time All-Star centre fielder grew up in the small town 45 minutes south of Philadelphia. Lee (3-4) took a 2-0 lead into the sixth, but Asches fielding and throwing errors led to four unearned runs. Collin Cowgill led off the inning with a double to left. After Trout struck out, Albert Pujols reached when Asche let his high bouncer go off his glove. Howie Kendrick walked to load the bases. Chris Iannetta then hit a bouncer to Asche, who pulled catcher Carlos Ruiz off the plate with his throw home. Grant Greens sacrifice fly tied it at 2. Jimenez followed with a two-run double on a 3-0 pitch, giving the Angels a 4-2 lead. "Its frustrating, not just for myself, but when you let a team down," Asche said. "Cliff was pitching well. He couldve gone all night." Asche has struggled in his first full season. Hes hitting .226 with a team-high six errors. "The kid had a tough night," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "That can happen. Well continue to work with him. A lot of things have been thrown at him." The Phillies have lost two in a row to fall three games below .500. They blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth in a 5-4, extra-inning loss to the Mets on Sunday. Closer Jonathan Papelbon wasnt available to pitch that day because he was sore after earning saves in the first two games of the series. Papelbon has drawn criticism from fans for not pitching. Sandberg said before the game the team needs its closer to be able to pitch three days in a row. Shoemaker (1-1) allowed two runs and three hits. He made his second career start and first this season. The righty was called up to replace Hector Santiago, who was sent to the bullpen after going 0-6 with a 5.19 ERA in seven starts. Ernesto Frieri pitched the ninth for his fifth save in seven tries. Domonic Brown hit a triple off reliever Fernando Salas and scored on Ruizs sacrifice fly in the seventh to get the Phillies to 4-3. Shoemaker retired his first nine batters before Ben Revere hit a hard single just past second baseman Kendrick. One out later, Chase Utley ripped an RBI triple into the right-field corner to make it 1-0. Angels manager Mike Scioscia challenged the safe call at third, but it was upheld following a replay review that took 3 minutes, 33 seconds. Ryan Howard hit an RBI single through the vacated hole at shortstop for a 2-0 lead. 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Morgenstern has moved to a rehabilitation clinic in Klagenfurt for further recovery.MINNEAPOLIS - He was the third base coach who gave Kirby Puckett a high-five to punctuate his winning homer in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series.He was the trusting candidate who took Minnesotas managing job when many thought the Twins were about to be contracted in 2002.He was the affable everyman who presided over the teams turn-of-the-century renaissance and turned the AL doormat into a six-time division champion.Ron Gardenhire was just about everything in the 27 years he spent in the Twins organization. But even he couldnt survive the worst four-year stretch in franchise history.The Twins fired Gardenhire on Monday, saying it was time for a new voice after his 13-year tenure concluded with 383 losses over the last four seasons.The reason for this change, I think its safe to say, the last couple years we have not won enough games, Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. Thats what it comes down to. Its nothing more, nothing less than that.The move was made with one season left on Gardenhires contract, ending the second-longest active tenure in the major leagues behind Mike Scioscia of the Angels.Gardenhire played an integral role in the franchises turnaround, guiding the Twins to the playoffs six times in nine seasons from 2002-10. But Gardenhires teams only got out of the first round once, and his post-season record was 6-21 with the last win coming in 2004.The Twins have long been the model of stability in not only baseball but major professional sports, with only two managers over the last 28 years and two general managers over the last 20 seasons.But all the losing of late became too much to overcome. Over the last four years, the Twins went 78-148 from Aug. 1 on for an abysmal .345 winning percentage.Im gone, Im outta here because we didnt win, Gardenhire said. Thats what it gets down to in baseball. Thats what it should get down to. You have to win on the field and these last four years have been tough for all of us.The Twins finished this season at 70-92, making Gardenhire just the fourth manager in the games history to preside over at least four straight 90-loss seasons with the same team, joining Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics (nine), Zach Taylor of the St. Louis Browns (four) and his predecessor with the Twins, Tom Kelly (four). Kelly returned for one more season after his streak, and he retired after an 85-77 finish in 2001.One of the things we hope to get back to here is a winning culture across our organization, and not just with the major leagues, Twins President Dave St. Peter said, later adding, Thats clearly one of the goals with this move is to jumpstart that. Not to say that Ron wasnt capable of that ... but I think we believe very strongly that weve gotten away from that in recent years.In an era when job security for manageers is seemingly measured in months, Gardenhires longevity has been truly unique.dddddddddddd The outspoken and fiery Gardenhire quickly became one of the faces of the franchise, as synonymous with the Twins as the interlocking T and C on their caps. He took over for the revered Kelly, who won two World Series championships, just as the organization was starting to regain its footing after years of bad baseball.I feel like hes my brother, not my manager, said a glassy-eyed Ryan, who has known Gardenhire dating to their days together in the New York Mets system in the 1980s.Ryan spent some time away from the organization this year to get treatment for cancer. He said Monday that a recent physical came back favourable and that he will return to the Twins next season.Ryan offered Gardenhire a chance to remain in the organization, but Gardenhire doesnt believe hes done managing just yet.I would have loved to have won a World Series, but that didnt happen, Gardenhire said. Maybe its still to come.Gardenhire clashed with some players over the years, but there was an expectation and hope among the players that he would return.We as players had a responsibility to the organization, fans, and coaches to win this season, starting pitcher Phil Hughes tweeted. We failed.Gardenhire joined the organization in 1987 and was added to Kellys staff in 1991. His record as Twins manager was 1,068-1,039. He won the American League Manager of the Year award in 2010, the last time the Twins not only made the playoffs but had a winning record.As good as it gets in my opinion. Comes to the park ready to win each and every day. Kind of a players manager, second baseman Brian Dozier said last week. Always in good spirits. He knows the game better than anybody Ive been around. I 100 per cent want him back.The contracts of Gardenhires coaches were expiring, but some of them could be brought back. Bench coach Paul Molitor is sure to be considered for Gardenhires replacement, but Ryans search will spread outside the organization, too.Sometimes people need to hear a different voice, Gardenhire said. They need a new face. I just want this organization to win; Ill be rooting just like everybody else.The run of futility has disillusioned a once-passionate fan base, with attendance in Target Fields fifth year the lowest for the Twins since 2004.Owner Jim Pohlad said dwindling attendance had virtually zero impact on the decision and they would have brought Gardenhire back next season if Ryan recommended it.He connected with me and our family way more than any single person in our entire career as owners of the team, Pohlad said. Hes just a special guy. Hes loved. Hes loved by us. Ill always remember him as a winner.___AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report. ' ' '