SB Nation Minnesota - Powerful Twins Push Past Toronto With Eighth-Inning Runhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2010-07-06T22:51:18-05:00http://minnesota.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13195052010-07-06T22:51:18-05:002010-07-06T22:51:18-05:00Twins Score Late, Beat Toronto 7-6
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<p>(Sports Network) – Denard Span’s <span class="caps">RBI</span> single in the eighth proved to be the difference, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-6, in a back-and-forth affair at Rogers Centre.</p>
<p>Span finished with two <span class="caps">RBI</span> for the Twins, who came into the series having lost nine of their last 13 games. Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both homered, while Delmon Young had three hits, an <span class="caps">RBI</span> and a run scored.</p>
<p>Jason Kubel hit a solo homer and scored twice, and Jose Mijares (1-0) grabbed the win for getting two outs in the seventh. Jon Rauch recorded his 19th save.</p>
<p>Lyle Overbay, DeWayne Wise and Edwin Encarnacion all homered for the Blue Jays, who have dropped eight of nine to fall two games below .500 (41-43). Fred Lewis drove in two runs in defeat, while Jason Frasor (3-2) was issued the loss for yielding the Twins’ seventh run.</p>
<p>With the game tied, 6-6, entering the eighth, the Twins used some small ball to plate the go-ahead run. Young hit a sharp ground ball up the middle that tipped Frasor’s glove and slowed for an infield single. He was sacrificed to second on a bunt from Nick Punto, and Span singled off Scott Downs to score Young.</p>
<p>After the Blue Jays went down in order in the ninth, Rauch retired the first two Toronto batters of the ninth before Encarnacion singled to keep the game alive. Pinch-hitter Vernon Wells, though, struck out to help the Twins take the win.</p>
<p>The Twins struck for two runs in the second. Morneau walked leading off, and Kubel singled him to second. The pair both moved up a base on a groundout, and Morneau scored on Jim Thome’s groundout to first. Young added an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single for a 2-0 advantage.</p>
<p>Overbay led off the third with a ground-rule double and scored on Lewis’ two- base hit for a 2-1 contest, and the Blue Jays battered starter Carl Pavano for four runs to move in front.</p>
<p>Overbay immediately tied the game, launching a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left for his ninth homer of the season. Encarnacion followed with a ground-rule double and scored on Lewis’ one-out single to right.</p>
<p>Following Lewis’ steal of second, Wise crushed Pavano’s 0-1 offering over the wall in right for a 5-2 lead.</p>
<p>Morneau and Kubel hit back-to-back homers with one out in the sixth to cut the Twins’ deficit to one, and Minnesota loaded the bases with one out after a single, double and intentional walk. Punto fouled out for the second out, but Span worked a walk to tie the game, 5-5.</p>
<p>Mauer followed by beginning the seventh with his fourth home run of the season for a one-run Twins edge, but Encarnacion tied it up in the home half with his 10th longball of 2010.</p>
<p>The Twins are 33-14 when scoring first…Minnesota leads the season series, 2-1…Pavano allowed six runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Twins, while Jesse Litch yielded five runs, seven hits and two walks in 5 1/3 frames.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2010/7/6/1555983/twins-score-late-beat-toronto-7-6Twins Territory2010-07-06T17:05:52-05:002010-07-06T17:05:52-05:00Twins Looking To Rebound In Toronto
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<p><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">(Sports Network) - The last time <span>Carl Pavano</span> faced the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TOR" class="sbn-auto-link">Toronto Blue Jays</a> he was rocked in only four innings of work. The <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/MIN" class="sbn-auto-link">Minnesota Twins</a> hurler will shoot for redemption tonight in the opener of a three-game series at Rogers Centre.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Pavano took the hill at Toronto back on May 18 in an 11-2 loss and was battered for six runs and 10 hits, falling to 3-5 in 10 career starts against the Jays to go along with a 6.22 earned run average. Pavano has rebounded nicely since then and is 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last five starts.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The right-hander did not record a decision in Minnesota's 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay last Thursday, as he was reached for three runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings of work. Pavano, who is 9-6 with a 3.30 ERA in 16 overall starts this season, is 4-3 in seven trips to enemy mounds in 2010.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Minnesota just lost three of four matchups with the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TAM" class="sbn-auto-link">Tampa Bay Rays</a> and is coming off Sunday's 7-4 setback at Target Field. <span>Nick Blackburn</span> was saddled with the loss for surrendering seven runs -- four earned -- and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Jim Thome</span> had two hits and two RBI, while <span>Justin Morneau</span> and <span>Delmon Young</span> both went 2-for-4 and knocked in a run for the Twins, who have lost nine of the past 13 contests and sit a half-game behind Detroit for the AL Central lead.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">"We're not getting the big hits as consistently as we need to," Morneau said on the team's site. "We've been missing those hits. You can look at our numbers, the runners in scoring position and all that stuff, and we haven't done as well there as we need to."</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Twins will also visit the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/DET" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Tigers</a> for three games and are 18-21 away from home this season. Morneau and catcher <span>Joe Mauer</span> will both start in next week's All-Star Game in Anaheim, CA.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Much like the Twins, Toronto enters this series on a losing note, having lost seven of its last eight games. After taking the opener of a three-game series against the <a style="outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; color: #c61c17; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/NYY" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Yankees</a> in extra innings, the Blue Jays dropped the final two tests of the set and suffered a 7-6 loss in 11 innings Sunday.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>David Purcey</span> was dealt the loss for allowing <span>Marcus Thames</span>' game-winning hit in the bottom of the 11th, while starter <span>Brandon Morrow</span> put his team in a hole by yielding five runs and nine hits over six frames.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span>Adam Lind</span> and <span>Lyle Overbay</span> both homered and <span>Dewayne Wise</span> belted a three-run homer and finished with four RBI for the Jays.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Toronto will also welcome AL East-rival Boston up north on the current residency and are expected to send <span>Jesse Litsch</span> to the hill Tuesday. Litsch will make his fifth start of the season and is 0-3 with a 6.98 ERA over his first four starts. He is coming off a tough loss at Cleveland in which he held the Tribe to a pair of runs over six innings of work.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The righty hopes to bounce back against a Minnesota team he's undefeated against, going 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA in five career starts.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">The Blue Jays will also host Boston for three games and will be represented by catcher <span>John Buck</span> and outfielders <span>Jose Bautista</span> and <span>Vernon Wells</span> in next week's All-Star Game.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Minnesota and Toronto split a two-game set this season back on May 17-18 at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays have won 12 of the previous 16 matchups between the teams.</p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/2010/7/6/2317547/twins-looking-to-rebound-in-torontoTwins Territory