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Twins rally for ugly win, pull within half-game of White Sox

Baseball Betting Lines

08/01/2008 - Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel both hit three-run homers, as the Minnesota Twins scored seven times between the seventh and eighth innings to steal a 10-6 ugly victory over the White Sox, climbing within a half-game of Chicago for the lead in the AL Central.

Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with two RBI and scored a run for the Twins, who have won five of six. Nick Punto and Delmon Young knocked in a run each, and Denard Span scored three times in the finale of the four-game set.

The result was overshadowed by an unplanned stoppage in the seventh inning. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen pulled his team off the field after fans threw hats and baseballs on the field, this after Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected from the game for arguing a called strike on Span.

Starter Scott Baker lasted six frames and yielded four runs on five hits. Jesse Crain (4-2) earned the win as he gave up just a hit in the seventh inning.

"We need to play well at home, especially this point in the season, against a team within our division that's in front of us," Baker said. "It was very important to win this series. All the games seemed to be emotional. I wouldn't quite call it a playoff atmosphere, but it was pretty close."

Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome both hit two-run homers for the White Sox, who have dropped four of five overall.

"It's going to be tough, it's going to come down to the wire, we know that," Chicago's A.J. Pierzynski said of the division race. "We get to start over tomorrow. That's what's great about this game. We get to put this one away and pretend it didn't happen."

The result capped a day in which the White Sox added a future Hall of Famer to their team for their stretch run as Ken Griffey Jr. agreed to leave his hometown Cincinnati for a chance at a championship. The White Sox acquired the outfielder and cash considerations from the Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Nick Masset and second baseman Danny Richar.

John Danks lasted six-plus innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. Matt Thornton (4-3) suffered his fourth blown save and absorbed the loss as he gave up a run on a hit in just two-thirds of an inning.

In the seventh inning, Span attempted to bunt and was hit by the pitch. Instead of getting credit for first base, he was called for taking a swing.

Gardenhire came out to protest and was then ejected. On his way to the clubhouse Gardenhire kicked his hat. The Minnesota faithful followed suit by tossing their caps and a ball on the field. Guillen came out and pulled his team off the field for about five minutes.

After a short delay, Span worked a walk. Thornton came on in relief and got Punto to fly out, before sending Span to second on a wild pitch. Mauer then hit an RBI single to center, but was out as Morneau followed with a force out. Octavio Dotel was then called in from the bullpen. Young was hit by a pitch and Kubel made Chicago pay with a long homer to right, giving the Twins a 7-4 advantage.

Chicago rallied in the eighth off Matt Guerrier. Carlos Quentin got things going with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Dye followed with a homer to left field.

The Twins scored all the insurance runs they would need in the bottom half. Carlos Gomez reached on a throwing error by Juan Uribe before Boone Logan replaced Ehren Wassermann on the mound. Span then put down a sac bunt and Pierzynski botched the throw to first, leaving runners on the corners.

Punto then belted a double past a diving Quentin in center, allowing Gomez to score and putting runners in scoring position. Mauer then grounded to first, scoring Span and moving Punto to third. Morneau was intentionally walked and Young singled to center, scoring Punto and making it 10-6.

The ChiSox took an early 2-0 lead as Dye led off the second with a single and Thome followed with a homer to left-center field.

The White Sox ballooned their lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning when Pierzynski smacked a two-run single to center before the Twins rallied in the fifth thanks to Morneau's 18th homer of the season.

Game Notes

The Twins' are 37-20 at the Metrodome this year...The home team has also excelled so far during this year's season series between these clubs. Chicago has won seven of nine matchups with the Twins in the Windy City, but Minnesota is 5-1 against the Sox at the Metrodome so far in 2008...Coming into Thursday's tilt, Danks was 5-1 with a stellar 2.31 ERA in 10 starts away from home and had won six consecutive overall decisions to boot.