Twins 8, Orioles 5

It was ugly, but the Twins managed to come out alive. Scott Baker (5-8, 6.37 ERA) only lasted 3.2 innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits with one K, finding it difficult to locate his pitches with really no help from the defense early on.

Erik Bedard (L 15-10, 3.67 ERA) didn't last much longer that Scott, only pitching 4.2 innings while giving up 6 runs (3 earned) on 12 hits, striking out four batters and walking two.

The Orioles scored in the first after Brian Roberts led the inning off with a single and later was driven in on a Miguel Tejada double. Michael Cuddyer (1 for 3) then led off the second with a walk. Base hits from Torii Hunter (3 for 5, 2 RBI) and Rondell White (amazing 4 for 4, 1 RBI night) tied it up.

In the bottom of the inning, Corey Patterson reached on a fielding error by Jason Bartlett (11) with one out before Kevin Millar doubled and Jeff Fiorentino brought him in with a sac fly to center, giving Baltimore the lead once again.

Bartlett (1 for 4) started the third with a base hit, but was out on a double play ball by Luis Castillo (1 for 3). Mike Redmond (2 for 5) then doubled to right and was sent home when the circus came to town. Cuddyer struck out swinging, but the ball was in the dirt. Catcher Ramon Hernandez then hurled it to first and the ball went sailing over Kevin Millar's out-stretched glove, allowing both Nick Punto (3 for 5, RBI) and Redmond to score. Thanks Baltimore! Justin Morneau (1 for 5, RBI) tacked on another run on a ground ball to center that brought Cuddyer around, giving the Twins a 4-2 lead.

This game was so back-and-forth it would give the chair ump at the U.S. Open a sore neck. Patterson started the fourth with a triple before Millar grounded out to send him to home. One out later, Roberts doubled to force Baker out of the game. He was replaced by Matt Guerrier (W 1-0, 3.27 ERA), who immediately gave up a Chris Gomez RBI single that tied the game at 4 a piece.

In the top of the fifth, Cuddyer was in at first on a fielder's choice. With one out, Torii hit his 29th bomb of the season, tieing his season home run record set in 2002. Baltimore got one more in the bottom of the frame off of Guerrier on a Patterson single that scored Jay Gibbons. Matt was replaced in the sixth by lefty Glen Perkins (0.00 ERA) who allowed only 1 hit facing three tough hitters. Pat Neshek (2.43 ERA) was brought in to get Tejada, who lined out. We love our hometown boys.

White goes 4 for 4

Dennys Reyes (0.92 ERA) pitched a scoreless seventh before the Twins got one more in the eighth off reliever Todd Williams (4.85 ERA). After a two-out walk and a single, Punto lined a shot to center, bringing Bartlett around to score. After Jesse Crain (3.67 ERA) pitched a scoreless eighth (whew!), Rodrigo Lopez (5.90 ERA) allowed a Hunter double and a Leeeeeeeeeeew Ford (1 for 1) line drive RBI.

Automatic Joe Nate (1.71 ERA) polished off the game with yet another perfect ninth with one strikeout, earning his 34th save on the year. Twins win, 8-5 and Matt Guerrier gets his first Major League win. Congrats Matt!

Minnesota remains 1.5 games behind Detroit for the Division Lead, with the Tigers pounding the Royals 15-4 in Kansas City on Saturday. Chicago beat Seattle 11-7, and still trail the Twins by 5.5 games in the AL Wild Card Standings. The Twins and the Blue Jays put the kabosh on the Red Sox play off hopes for the first time in four years, as they were officially eliminated from the Wild Card Race Saturday after their 5-3 loss to Toronto.

VS.

Minnesota will look to walk away with a series win over Baltimore Sunday afternoon with Matt Garza (2-5, 5.40 ERA) on the hill facing Adam Loewen (6-5, 5.35 ERA) and the Orioles. In Garza's last outing in Boston on Sept. 19th, he pitched 5.2 good innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits. Loewen last appeared on the 19th as well, facing Tampa Bay, giving up 4 earned runs on 6 hits through six innings of work.

Batting Title Watch: Derek Jeter went 1 for 4 during New York's 8-0 blanking by Tampa Bay Saturday, batting .338 on the year. Joe Mauer still leads at .334, as he had the day off.

MVP Action for Saturday, September 23...

Justin Morneau: 1 for 5 | .323 avg | 126 RBI | 33 HR
Derek Jeter: did | not | play
David Ortiz: 2 for 5 | .285 avg | 133 RBI | 52 HR
Jermaine Dye: 1 for 4 | .317 avg | 119 RBI | 43 HR