Brian Buscher has been contributing mightily to the Twins' nine-game winning streak, and Thursday was no exception — a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth to give Minnesota a 4-3 lead, a throw home in the bottom of the sixth to cut down the tying run.

It's that play that seems worth detailing, because the details are telling.

Here's the situation: With one out., Kevin Kouzmanoff singled and Chase Headley doubled. The Padres, down 4-3, have runners on second and third. Khalil Greene hit a bouncer to the left of third baseman Buscher. Watching the play develop on TV, I figured: Take the out at first, concede the tying run.

Instead, Buscher, moving to his left, twisted and threw home. The low throw was still there in plenty of time for catcher Mike Redmond to make the scoop and tag on Kouzmanoff.

The key to the play, as described in the San Diego Union Tribune: Buscher, as the Greene at-bat developed, noticed that Kouzmanoff (not a fast runner) was not getting a good jump off third. When the ball was hit, Buscher heard the third-base coach yelling for Kouzmanoff to go, "so i knew I had time."

Scott Baker struck out the next hitter to end the threat, and the Padres never got another man in scoring position. The 4-3 score held the rest of the way.

The thing is, I'm still not convinced that Buscher made the right percentage play. His throw — as has often been the case with both him and Mike Lamb — was neither strong nor accurate; Redmond made a good play to catch it cleanly and be in position to make the tag. A faster runner, or one with a better jump, is on Redmond as he tries to handle the throw, and there's trouble. And the risk if they miss on the out at home is huge. Not only would the score be tied, but San Diego would still have just one out and two men on. The chances of a big inning are huge.

Of course, Buscher made the play he made in part because he had a slow runner who he expected would get a bad jump. If Carlos Beltran were the baserunner, Buscher isn't going home with the ball.