BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : AMERICAN: Detroit vs. Minnesota : Notebook : Kelly Planning to Bring Viola Back on Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS —  Minnesota Manager Tom Kelly said he would bring Frank Viola, his Wednesday starter, back on three days’ rest to pitch Game 4 Sunday in Detroit. Viola said he has frequently pitched with three days’ rest, including three times this year, posting a 1-0 record in those games.

“I want the ball as often as possible,” he said. “I think I learned a lot last night and should improve on it. It was the first time I had been in a situation where my adrenaline was flowing that much. I had made only 95 pitches (when he came out in the eighth inning). At that point, I’m normally as good or better as when I first start. But this time I hit a brick wall. I was more fatigued mentally than physically.

“I thought I did a good job of keeping the team in the game, and now I’ve had the experience. Now maybe I can approach it differently. “

The left-hander remained 15-0 with the “Frankie Sweet Music Viola” banner hanging from the right-field bleachers. Will he be able to borrow it to take with him to Detroit?

“I don’t know,” he said. “I was hoping that my wife would have come home with it folded in her purse.”

Bill Madlock, who struck out three times and grounded out twice as the designated hitter Wednesday night, did not start Thursday night because of a recurring swelling in his left hand.

Madlock first jarred the hand on the controversial slide that sidelined Toronto shortstop Tony Fernandez with a broken elbow. The hand has been X-rayed, but there is no apparent bone damage.

Madlock was unable to grip a bat Thursday but said he should be ready Saturday, citing today’s travel day.

Manager Sparky Anderson used catcher Matt Nokes as his designated hitter and kept the defensively stronger Mike Heath behind the plate.

“Sparky made that decision even before I got to the park,” Madlock said. “He saw the way I was swinging (Thursday night) and knew my hand was hurting.”

Twin Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew on Gary Gaetti: “If the Twins had a captain, he’d be it. He plays hard, he plays hurt. He’s a gamer, and probably the best all-around third baseman there is.”

With the imminent announcement that Angel bullpen coach Bob Clear will be retiring, there is speculation that Gene Mauch’s longtime favorite, Tim Foli, will join the staff.

Foli was Bobby Valentine’s third base coach with the Texas Rangers this season but will not be returning there. Angel minor league instructor Joe Coleman is also thought to be a candidate.

Anderson thought Tiger pitcher Jack Morris “had as good a stuff as you can take out there,” despite the six runs he allowed. As for that, Anderson credited the offensive approach taken by the Twins: “They went after him aggressively.”

Several Minnesota hits came on Morris’ first pitches. Twin Manager Tom Kelly was asked if he had purposely directed his hitters to tee off on the first offering.

“No. I just sit in the corner of the dugout and don’t bother anybody,” Kelly deadpanned.

Kelly, on the gyrations of Twin reliever Juan Berenguer, which Anderson regarded as an attempt to show up the Tigers:

“I thinking Juan is a very emotional, high-strung individual. I know he is. This is the team that let him go. He likes to do good against the Tigers.

“(But) we’ve talked about this in the past and we’ll talk about it again. I don’t like it, but I won’t stop him in the middle of a ballgame because of it.”

Kent Hrbek made his mark Thursday with his bat, his glove and his first appearance at the postgame interview room podium. To wit:

--On the ear-shattering support from the Metrodome crowd: “I guess I need to go to the barber and get the hair shaved off the back of my neck. It’s been standing on end for the past two days.”

--On his sprawling catch of Gaetti’s low throw in the eighth inning: “Most people thought that was stretching, but that comes from watching TV. I was just practicing my off-season work as a couch potato. More or less, I just laid down out there. I was as surprised as anyone when it hit my glove.”

--On taking a 2-0 lead over the heavily favored Tigers: “I feel happy for the people of Minnesota. I feel for the fans. They believe in us, we believe in us. And now, I think the people out there believe in us.”

Times staff writer Mike Penner contributed to this story.