It was the seventh inning of a tied game on Sunday when Twins manager Rocco Baldelli turned the ball over to Josh Staumont. The Athletics had just rallied for two runs off Louie Varland and had runners on the corners. The Twins needed to stop the bleeding.

Staumont got his man.

And then he returned for the eighth inning, getting three batters to strike out swinging — all on the slider. Entering Wednesday, Staumont had thrown 15 1/3 innings without giving up an earned run since returning to the majors on May 8.

“When you’re coming off an injury and you’re still recovering, he was kind of at that in-between stage in spring training where he was still fighting to prove that he was ready to go when he was still working his way back in some ways,” Baldelli said. “He has made great strides.”

The veteran had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last summer and began the season on the injured list with a calf strain before the Twins optioned him to Triple-A to let him work his way back.

But of late, he has been regaining his stuff, and he’s starting to work his way into a bigger role in the Twins’ bullpen.

“I’m starting at the bottom. They have to relearn me. They have to know me. I was fortunate enough to be with the Royals for parts of 10 years. They knew me, right?” Staumont said. “It was one of those things that coming here and being able to get your feet wet, understand that, learn the team, be part of the team, you just want it to grow. … It’s nice to start off on a good foot.”

It’s been a long process getting to this point. His four-seam fastball velocity (94.5 miles per hour) is still well below his average in previous seasons, but he did hit 98.9 mph with a pitch earlier this month as his velocity climbs. The higher numbers, he said, were “nice and encouraging.”

He has also massively increased his slider usage — entering Wednesday, he had thrown it 66.8 percent of the time, up from 22.5 percent a season before. Staumont called it a “usable,” and “consistent” pitch.

“His slider has become a good, reliable pitch for him both in the zone and for strikeouts. He’s having days where his velo is up and he’s throwing the ball the way he wants,” Baldelli said. “Hitters have always had a tough time squaring him up. He comes from a bit of a funny angle. He has very good stuff, and he’s a tough at-bat. He’s throwing the ball really well right now.”

And, he hopes, as he gets further and further from surgery, he’ll only get better.

Next year, he said, “is going to be a lot nicer,” but for now, the Twins are plenty happy with what they’ve been seeing lately.

“Every single time you go out there and you have something like the surgery that sets you back to the point where you don’t know if you can pick your arm up above your head again, everything is just a small win,” Staumont said.

Briefly

Simeon Woods Richardson will take the ball on Thursday opposed by former Twin Zack Littell, who is 2-5 with a 4.24 earned-run average for Tampa Bay this season. Littell was a reliever with the Twins from 2018-20. … Top prospect Brooks Lee hit three doubles on Wednesday, helping the Triple-A Saints to their eighth straight win.

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A 20-year-old has been missing from St. Paul since the weekend, and his family and police are asking people to be on the lookout for him.

St. Paul police issued an alert earlier this week, saying Sebastian “Sebas” Santibanez is an endangered missing person. He was last seen walking away from his residence in the Midway area about 5 a.m. Sunday, according to a bulletin from police. A flyer his mother posted said he’s been missing since Saturday.

Sebastian Santibanez (Courtesy of the St. Paul Police Department)

“We need people’s eyes and ears to assist us with trying to find Sebastian and making sure he’s safe,” said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman, on Wednesday.

Santibanez’s mother, Martha Burton, has asked people to put up flyers about her son — they have an account established, so people can pick up flyers and tape at no cost from FedEx Office at Grand and Snelling avenues.

A map at bit.ly/3VQfE4n is being used to track sightings of Santibanez, places where flyers need to be posted and spots where flyers are already posted. People can comment on a post on Burton’s Facebook page to add a location to the map.

Santibanez is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing all black clothes, white tennis shoes and carrying a black backpack. He has small tattoos on his hands.

Anyone with information is asked to call St. Paul police at 651-291-1111.

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Five people accused of defrauding Minnesota’s Medicaid program out of more than $10 million now face prosecution by Attorney General Keith Ellison.

In charges filed in Hennepin County Wednesday, the state attorney general alleged Medicaid fraudsters provided false documentation, overbilled for services, billed for services they didn’t provide and diverted funds for personal use.

Minnesota distributes the federal money for home care and transportation services to people with low incomes.

In one case, three are accused of stealing more than $9 million from the program. Two of the three — Abdifatah Yusuf and Lul Ahmed — allegedly took $7.2 million and spent it on luxury items rather than their home and community health provider Promise Health Services.

“Yusuf and co-defendant Ahmed frequently used the money stolen from the Medicaid program to fund a lavish lifestyle, including directing over $1 million from the Promise business account into Yusuf’s personal account and withdrawing over $387,000 in cash,” Ellison’s office said in a news release.

Luxury goods

Further, authorities say the defendants bought furniture for the company despite it lacking a physical address, spent $42,000 at luxury automotive dealers, and $80,000 at clothing stores including “Coach, Canada Goose, Michael Kors, Third Degree Heat, Nike, and Nordstrom.”

Yusuf is charged with one count of racketeering and six counts of felony aiding and abetting theft by swindle. Ahmed is charged with two felony counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle. The case is connected to an investigation announced by Ellison in December that led to three being charged with $11 million in Medicaid fraud.

“Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance have a right to expect they’ll receive all the care, dignity, and respect they’re entitled to,” Ellison said. “Minnesotans trying to afford their lives have a right to expect that every one of their tax dollars will be spent properly and legally.”

Other cases

In a case stemming from the same investigation, Abdiweli Mohamud allegedly took more than $1.8 million in Medicaid funds for services ineligible for payment through his business Minnesota Home Health Care. He’s charged with one count of racketeering and six counts of felony aiding and abetting theft by swindle.

In separate cases, Charles Omato and LaTonia Jackson are accused of defrauding Minnesota Medicaid out of $1.4 million in transportation services they never provided through their company, Driving Miss Daisy.

The five accused in the cases did not have attorneys listed in court documents on Wednesday, and they could not immediately be reached for comment.

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BRAINERD, Minn. — Friends and family remembered Bethany Anne Bernatsky as a beautiful soul who was killed in a senseless act of violence three years ago at a northern Minnesota resort.

Cameron Jay Moser

The 30-year-old man facing first-degree murder charges in Bernatsky’s shooting death in 2021 accepted a plea deal and was sentenced last week in Crow Wing County District Court. In the investigation into the murder, officials and family members stated they believed Bernatsky was killed in a case of mistaken identity as her killer thought she was his ex-girlfriend, whose parents previously owned the resort in Nisswa.

Cameron Jay Moser was convicted of intentional murder in the second degree in Bernatsky’s death and was sentenced to 34 years in prison. In Minnesota, a sentence consists of a minimum term of imprisonment equal to two-thirds of the total sentence, and supervised release equal to one-third of the total sentence.

Moser appeared alongside his attorneys Daniel Hawley and Conrad Kragness. Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan informed Judge Erik Askegaard that the state reached an agreement with Moser to plead guilty to second-degree intentional murder, and the state would dismiss the remaining first-degree murder charges related to premeditation. With the plea, Moser agreed to waive his rights to a trial.

Moser admitted that on the night of Oct. 7, 2021, he entered Cabin No. 5 at the Cozy Bay Resort on Lake Edward, where Bernatsky, a 46-year-old Brainerd horse trainer, was staying.

Moser was armed with an AR-15 rifle. He shot and wounded her twice. He admitted he then walked up to her while she was conscious and shot her in the head with the intent to kill her.

About 15 people were in the gallery in the courtroom last Wednesday, several in tears and with bowed heads during the proceeding. Four people rose to make victim impact statements.

Charlene Radtke said Bernatsky was her closest friend for more than 20 years and someone she planned to have in her life as she grew older. A talented horsewoman, Bernatsky shared her enthusiasm for horses and riding by teaching children. She competed and performed with well-known groups, including the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions.

“Beth loved people,” Radtke said. “… She forgave everyone who hurt her.”

Radtke noted her friend would say her biggest accomplishment was her daughter, Arielle Rutledge, who recently graduated from law school.

Mari Jevning Baker, Moser’s former girlfriend, also spoke, turning her chair and speaking directly to him. She didn’t have prepared remarks but said she wanted to speak from the heart. She said she’s learned from Bernatsky’s friends what a beautiful soul she was.

“That day changed my life,” Baker said of the murder. She said she hoped through all of the senselessness and loss of life that God uses Moser for some purpose.

“I have to have faith,” Baker said, adding she has so much guilt.

Her statement was interrupted by her tears.

“My sister was a very kind soul,” Ben Bernatsky said. He also turned to look at Moser. He said he and his sister forged a friendship in the last few years where they could talk with each other about life and relationships.

“I miss that time,” he said. “I think we would have had a lot more of it if her life hadn’t been cut short at 46.”

Ben Bernatsky said he thought Moser was getting off easy.

“He might not have intended to kill my sister but he intended to kill someone,” he said. “You’ll be out of jail and have one-third of your life left.”

Ben Bernatsky said he’s been told by family that Moser accepted Christ and is remorseful.

“You’ll have the next 20 years to prove it,” he said.

Moser continued to face forward in his seat and declined an opportunity to speak.

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