Liriano has had an up-and-down 2011 season

MINNEAPOLIS When Francisco Liriano is good, he can be very good. No-hitter good, even.But when Liriano is bad, it can get ugly.Luckily for the Minnesota Twins, the Liriano that pitched for them Sunday was no-hitter good even if he eventually gave up a few hits.Liriano did no-hit the White Sox earlier this season, although he was far from perfect in doing so. He walked six batters, struck out just two and needed 123 pitches to complete the feat. The Twins needed his no-hit effort, as the offense mustered just one run in the 1-0 win.Entering that game in Chicago on May 3, Liriano's numbers didn't indicate a no-hitter was on the horizon. He went into that start with a 9.13 ERA after giving up seven runs and four walks in his previous outing versus Tampa Bay. So when he no-hit the White Sox, it was seemingly improbable."He was still erratic. His stuff got him that no-hitter," Twins first baseman Michael Cuddyer said. "Tonight, he was pounding the zone. It was nice to see."Indeed, it's been an up-and-down kind of a season for the Twins left-hander. Liriano spent time on the 15-day disabled list at the end of May and early June with inflammation in his left shoulder. On May 10, he lasted just three innings against Detroit, allowing four runs on three hits and three walks for his fifth loss of the season.Since that point, however, Liriano seems to be back on track. He's allowed four earned runs in 26 innings (four starts). In that span, he's struck out 29 batters and walked eight.Cuddyer likened Liriano's two-hit performance Sunday against the Rangers to the 2006 season, in which the Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA as a rookie and earned a spot on the American League All-Star team."I hadn't seen Frankie pitch like that in a long time, even the no-hitter," Cuddyer said Sunday.Even with a no-hitter under his belt, Liriano admitted he got nervous as he got deeper into Sunday's game. "I was staying calm, not trying to over-pitch, not trying to be too perfect," he said. "Just trying to throw the ball over the plate. Whatever happens, happens." What happened was another example of the brilliant pitcher Liriano can be for the Twins. They'll need him to return to his ace form as they continue to look up at the AL Central standings. With Sunday's victory, Minnesota has now won nine of its last 11 games and is nine games back of first-place Cleveland. On June 1, the Twins were 16.5 games back.Like the Twins, Liriano's performances have wavered throughout the season. But after a recent string of solid outings, his confidence is apparently very high. Of course, pitching a near no-hitter doesn't hurt."He's a 10. He keeps telling me every day he's a 10, and that's good enough," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I think that says he's pretty confident about what he's doing. He feels good. It's fun to watch."