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Twins end 4-game losing skid

THE Minnesota Twins ended the Los Angeles Angels' eight-game winning streak with a 10-1 victory on Sunday powered by Justin Morneau's two home runs.

Morneau, the Twins' designated hitter, belted a two-run homer in the first inning and gave Minnesota an 8-1 lead with a solo homer in the seventh.

"As Morneau goes, we go," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "When he is swinging like that we go pretty good."

The win ended a four-game losing streak for Minnesota.

Denard Span drove in four more runs with a two-run single in a four-run, fourth inning and a two-run homer in the eighth, and Nick Punto had three runs batted in.

The Twins had 12 hits against the American League West-leading Angels, rocking Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana (3-6) for six runs and six hits in 3-2/3 innings.

Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak (3-3) got the win by holding the hosts to four hits and one run over 6-2/3 innings.

"We haven't seen him before," Angels leadoff batter Chone Figgins said of Swarzak. "He made his pitches. He kept throwing strikes, kept the ball out of the middle of the plate. We took some good rips against him. We just couldn't get some hits and get guys on base."

The Angels' lone run came on a solo homer by Kendry Morales in the fourth.

"The Angels beat up on us pretty good for three days and it was nice to go out there and get the win," said the Twins' Punto.

"It was one of those road trips where a lot of things didn't go our way, but I feel like we picked ourselves up."

In Kansas City, Missouri, Dustin Nippert allowed one hit in a stellar job of relief pitching as Texas scored seven times off the Kansas City bullpen for a 7-2 victory.

In other AL action, it was: Orioles 6, Red Sox 2; Yankees 7, Athletics 5; Blue Jays 5, Rays 1; Indians 12, Mariners 3; and White Sox 5, Tigers 1.

In Philadelphia, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez all hit two-run home runs to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 9-2 win over the St Louis Cardinals in the National League.

Joe Blanton (7-4) had another effective outing, allowing two runs and he struck out six over eight innings. Blanton has allowed two runs or less and pitched at least seven innings in five of his last six starts for the NL East leaders. Howard had three RBIs to lift the Phillies to their 17th win in 20 games.

In Chicago, Rich Harden pitched six stellar innings to win a day game at Wrigley Field for the first time since last August as Chicago moved into first place with a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati.

Elsewhere, it was: Mets 8, Astros 3; Braves 10, Brewers 2; Nationals 3, Padres 2, 10 innings; Rockies 4, Giants 2; Diamondbacks 9, Pirates 0; and Marlins 8, Dodgers 6.



 

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