It took five attempts, but the Minnesota Twins are finally playing winning baseball in 2012 after edging the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on Wednesday in a back-and-forth game.
The Twins bested AL Cy Young contender Jered Weaver, knocking the resident strikeout machine around for seven hits and five earned runs in just six innings. Weaver needed 110 pitches to finish the sixth, and struck out seven batters on the night.
Picking up the win for Minnesota was reliever Jeff Gray, who threw exactly one pitch to spell starter Carl Pavano in the seventh before Matt Capps came in and picked up the save. The 30-year-old Gray is the first, and unlikeliest, member of Minnesota's staff to be the first one to record a victory on the season.
Twins outfielder Josh Willingham continued his torrid pace from the plate, knocking his third home run of the season out of the yard against Weaver in the fourth inning to put Minnesota ahead 3-1. The Twins quickly lost the lead after a Peter Bourjos inside-the-park home run put Los Angeles ahead 5-3, but a second three-run inning from Minnesota snatched the lead right back.
The two teams will suit up on Thursday for the deciding game of the series. Opening Day starter Francisco Liriano is expected to get the ball for the Twins, facing off against LA's Dan Haren.
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