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Twins stretch lead over Chisox
Source: Agencies |
September 16, 2010, Thursday
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THE Minnesota Twins scored seven late runs to record a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday and increase their lead over their American League Central rival.
The Twins scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, pulled away with five more in the next inning to establish a seven-game lead over the White Sox, with just under three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Minnesota outfielder Denard Span capped the scoring with a bases-clearing double and finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs.
"To come in here and take this game, I think mentally it's got to hurt them a little bit," Twins reliever Jesse Crain told reporters. "It's a huge win, probably one of the biggest of the season for sure."
The two teams were tied at the top of the division on August 10 with a 63-49 record, but since then Minnesota (86-58) has become one of the hottest teams in baseball with a 23-9 record and appear on the verge of their second successive division title.
Left-hander Francisco Liriano pitched six innings and allowed three runs for the Twins to improve to a career-best 14-7.
Liriano allowed a game-tying two-run single to Alexei Ramirez in the fifth and the White Sox took the lead with a run in the sixth before the Twins rallied when Chicago starter John Danks (13-11) turned the game over to the White Sox bullpen.
Joe Mauer finished with three hits and Delmon Young added a home run for the Twins.
"Before the series, you know it's tough and you have to probably sweep," said White Sox slugger Paul Konerko after they slumped to 79-65.
"But you just continue to play hard and who knows, we get the next two and keep battling until they tell you that you can't battle anymore."
In St Petersburg, Jorge Posada led off the 10th inning with a homer, lifting the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 and back into first place in the American League East.
Squandered
The Yankees squandered a six-run lead before tying it 7-7 in the sixth. Posada drove a pitch from Dan Wheeler (2-3) over the center field wall, setting off cheers from a large contingent of New York fans among the crowd and ending the Yankees' season-worst run of four straight defeats.
The Rays erased the 0-6 deficit with a seven-run fifth inning, but Posada's shot saw Tampa Bay drop half a game behind its divisional rival with 18 games to play.
New York reliever David Robertson (4-4) pitched the ninth to take the win and Mariano Rivera finished up for his 30th save in 33 opportunities.
In other AL action, it was: Rangers 11, Tigers 4; Red Sox 9, Mariners 6; Royals 11, Athletics 3; Orioles 11, Blue Jays 3; and Indians 4, Angels 3.
In the National League, rookie Daniel Hudson shut down the league's top offense for eight innings, and Tony Abreu had a pair of hits and scored a run in Arizona's minimalist offense, leading the Diamondbacks to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Also, it was: Mets 9, Pirates 1; Nationals 6, Braves 0; Padres 7, Rockies 6; Cubs 7, Cardinals 2; Dodgers 1, Giants 0; Phillies 2, Marlins 1; and Astros 3, Brewers 2.
The Twins scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, pulled away with five more in the next inning to establish a seven-game lead over the White Sox, with just under three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Minnesota outfielder Denard Span capped the scoring with a bases-clearing double and finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs.
"To come in here and take this game, I think mentally it's got to hurt them a little bit," Twins reliever Jesse Crain told reporters. "It's a huge win, probably one of the biggest of the season for sure."
The two teams were tied at the top of the division on August 10 with a 63-49 record, but since then Minnesota (86-58) has become one of the hottest teams in baseball with a 23-9 record and appear on the verge of their second successive division title.
Left-hander Francisco Liriano pitched six innings and allowed three runs for the Twins to improve to a career-best 14-7.
Liriano allowed a game-tying two-run single to Alexei Ramirez in the fifth and the White Sox took the lead with a run in the sixth before the Twins rallied when Chicago starter John Danks (13-11) turned the game over to the White Sox bullpen.
Joe Mauer finished with three hits and Delmon Young added a home run for the Twins.
"Before the series, you know it's tough and you have to probably sweep," said White Sox slugger Paul Konerko after they slumped to 79-65.
"But you just continue to play hard and who knows, we get the next two and keep battling until they tell you that you can't battle anymore."
In St Petersburg, Jorge Posada led off the 10th inning with a homer, lifting the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 and back into first place in the American League East.
Squandered
The Yankees squandered a six-run lead before tying it 7-7 in the sixth. Posada drove a pitch from Dan Wheeler (2-3) over the center field wall, setting off cheers from a large contingent of New York fans among the crowd and ending the Yankees' season-worst run of four straight defeats.
The Rays erased the 0-6 deficit with a seven-run fifth inning, but Posada's shot saw Tampa Bay drop half a game behind its divisional rival with 18 games to play.
New York reliever David Robertson (4-4) pitched the ninth to take the win and Mariano Rivera finished up for his 30th save in 33 opportunities.
In other AL action, it was: Rangers 11, Tigers 4; Red Sox 9, Mariners 6; Royals 11, Athletics 3; Orioles 11, Blue Jays 3; and Indians 4, Angels 3.
In the National League, rookie Daniel Hudson shut down the league's top offense for eight innings, and Tony Abreu had a pair of hits and scored a run in Arizona's minimalist offense, leading the Diamondbacks to a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Also, it was: Mets 9, Pirates 1; Nationals 6, Braves 0; Padres 7, Rockies 6; Cubs 7, Cardinals 2; Dodgers 1, Giants 0; Phillies 2, Marlins 1; and Astros 3, Brewers 2.
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