Sep 16, 2007, 2:39 GMT
Minneapolis, MN - Ivan Rodriguez's bases-clearing double to cap a four-run first inning proved enough for the Detroit Tigers to top the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in the second of a three-game series at the Metrodome.
Carlos Guillen singled in the other run for the Tigers, who won their fourth straight, and are now 2 1/2 games back of the New York Yankees in the AL wild card race and remain 5 1/2 behind the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. The Yanks lost to Boston on Saturday, while Cleveland beat Kansas City.
Yorman Bazardo, who took the mound for only the 11th time in his major league career, allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings in his first major league start for the Tigers. Joel Zumaya (2-3) tossed 1 2/3 perfect innings to earn the win, and Todd Jones worked a scoreless ninth for his 36th save of the season.
Nick Punto ended 2-for-3 and scored twice for the Twins, who dropped their third straight. Johan Santana (15-12), who garnered his first win in three starts Sunday against the White Sox, surrendered six hits and four runs with two walks and seven strikeouts over eight innings for Minnesota.
Detroit plated all four runs in the first, ignited by two straight singles by Ryan Raburn and Placido Polanco. Gary Sheffield struck out, but Magglio Ordonez walked to load the bases for Guillen, who singled in a run before Rodriguez doubled home two more.
'I was trying to hit the ball out of the infield to bring in a run,' Rodriguez said.
Minnesota scored a run in the third, as Punto and Jason Bartlett singled before a wild pitch allowed Punto to race home.
The Twins got on the board again in the fifth after Luis Rodriguez led off with a double, advanced a base on Punto's fly out, and made it home on Bartlett's grounder to second. Jason Kubel then walked, so Bobby Seay replaced Bazardo on the mound and induced an inning-ending Joe Mauer force out.
Minnesota cut it to a one-run deficit in the seventh. Punto grounded a single, stole second, and scored as Kubel reached on a fielder's choice. Zumaya replaced Zach Miner on the mound, and it paid off as his first pitch got Mauer to again commit the final out, on a routine double play.
'It's a tough loss, but one heck of a ballgame,' Bartlett said. 'We played pretty well tonight. Johan after that first inning gave us a great chance to win. We had a couple chances.'
Game Notes
The Twins have lost six in a row at home for the first time since June 17-July 6, 2000...Detroit has won nine of the 14 overall meetings between the AL Central rivals this season.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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