MINNEAPOLIS -- Kennys Vargas wore two necklaces as he talked with reporters following the Twins' crazy, 4-3 win over Detroit, a game in which he played a big role.
He might be adding one more necklace to the collection.
The Twins' designated hitter hit a home run Tuesday, Vargas' eighth home run in 43 major-league games with Minnesota. The 24-year-old slugger also hit 17 home runs in Double-A New Britain this year, giving him 25 combined homers for the season.
It's a nice number for the year, but there's some significance to it: Red Sox star David Ortiz, who befriended Vargas during spring training in Fort Myers, told the youngster he'd buy him a necklace with "Big Papi II" on it if Vargas reached 25 total home runs for the season.
Better head to the jewelry story, David.
"I don't know if major-league home runs count," Vargas said. "The deal was in minor leagues. I have to talk to him about that. If he (does), I appreciate it. If not, he's still my friend."
Making Vargas' night even more impressive was the fact that the 6-foot-5, 275-pound designated hitter added an infield single and his first career triple as he went 3 for 4, a double shy of the cycle. The triple in the third inning eventually turned into the Twins' first run of the game after catcher Kurt Suzuki drove Vargas in with a base hit to left.
Before Suzuki singled in the game's first run, Vargas couldn't help but flash a big smile from third base as he slid in safely for his first big league triple on a ball that found the gap in left-center field. After all, he had just three career triples in six minor-league seasons, so these rare moments were a cause for celebration.
"I don't hit triples every day," Vargas said.
Vargas' manager was entertained, too.
"It's like going to a strip pit and watching dump trucks go all over the place and unload dirt and take off back up the hill," Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire said of Vargas' triple. "It was a long process. I'm just glad he didn't dive into third. It was fun, though. He had a huge smile. . . . Those are what you like as a manager is to see a guy with a big grin on his face and to see everybody in the dugout laughing when he's going to third base."
Vargas' first hit of the night was equally entertaining, and resulted in a similar smile. He grounded a Rick Porcello pitch down the third base line to lead off the second and reached safely on an infield single.
Of his 53 hits this season, eight of them have been infield singles -- not something you'd expect to see from someone whose body type resembles the aforementioned Ortiz.
"Good speed. I'm so fast," Vargas joked. "I run hard to first. I try to run hard to first most of the time, and infield single."
With Minnesota hanging on to a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning, Vargas stepped in to face Porcello for the third time. With the infield single and triple already in the box score, Vargas was halfway to the cycle. After connecting with a 3-2 pitch for a 378-foot blast to right field, he inched one step closer to that cycle -- and reached the mark needed for the necklace from Ortiz.
Vargas said he's kept in touch lately with Ortiz, but it's been more small talk between the perennial All-Star and the young prospect. Now that home run No. 25 has cleared the fence, they might have something else to talk about.
The homer came on a changeup from Porcello, the fifth changeup of the at-bat. It's a sign that Vargas is continuing to adjust to major-league pitchers who are no longer throwing him a steady diet of fastballs.
"I looked for offspeed, because always on 2-2 counts, 3-2, they go something else offspeed," Vargas said. "I learn something every night. I just tried to put the barrel on the ball.
And now he can put another necklace on his neck -- as long as Ortiz holds up his end of the bargain.
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