Twins 8, Red Sox 2

One night after Twins' rookie Matt Garza (5.40 ERA) shut down the Boston line up, Boof Bonser (W 6-5, 4.36 ERA) was able to hold them to 2 runs on 7 hits for seven innings, walking no one and striking out five.

Minnesota gave Boof an early lead in the first after Joe Mauer (2 for 5) doubled with two down and was brought home on a Michael Cuddyer (3 for 4, RBI) base hit. Boston answered in the second after catcher Jason Varitek tripled with one out and came home on a Dustin Pedroia single a batter later.

Curt Schilling (4.07 ERA) held the Twins to a run on 7 hits through the fifth, striking out three batters and walking none. He was replaced by Manny Delcarmen (4.67 ERA) in the sixth, who held the Twins scoreless. In the bottom half of the frame, Boof became the unlucky pitcher to allow David Ortiz to reach 50 homers this season (puke) and take the lead by one.

Bonser and Keith Foulke (4.63 ERA) each pitched a scoreless seventh before the Twins made their comeback in the eighth off of Craig Hansen (L 2-2, 6.87 ERA), who earned the blown save and the loss. Cuddyer led off the inning with a line drive double (40) and advanced to third on a wild pitch with Justin Morneau (1 for 4, RBI) at the plate, who ended up walking. Torii Hunter (2 for 5, 4 RBIs) then smashed his 28th bomb of the season "into the Massachusetts night" as Dick so poetically described it.

Rondell White then doubled on a liner to center (still nobody out, mind you) and Lew Ford (1 for 1, RBI) took his place on the bag. This brought a pitching change to Craig Breslow, who gave up a base hit by Jason Tyner (2 for 5) and allowed Ford to score on a force out at second. Breslow balked, then gave up another single to Luis Castillo. "Get the #&!% off my mound", says Terry Francona. Bryan Corey (3.22 ERA) took the hill and ended the inning with a double play.

Hunter hits number 28

Jesse Crain (3.73 ERA) came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and walked Coco Crisp with one out. After forcing Mark Loretta to fly out, he was replaced by Dennys Reyes (0.94 ERA), who was asked to get Big Papi. He put him on instead. In comes Pat Neshek (2.45 ERA) to strike out the potential tieing run, Mike Lowell.

Minnesota poured salt on the wound in the ninth when Mauer led off the inning with a soft single to right. Cuddy was immediately hit by a pitch and the Canadian Crusher singled on a grounder, scoring Mauer and advancing the runner. Torii then grounded out to score Cuddy and move Morneau before Leeeeeeeeeeeeeew RBI singled to right. Mike Burns (6.52 ERA) replaced Corey and denied both Jasons a hit to end the inning.

Juan Rincon (2.84 ERA) pitched a perfect ninth, giving Minnesota their 90th win of the season and moving into a first place tie with Detroit for the Central Division Lead. That lasted for approximately 20 minutes until the Tigers finished their 6-2 win over the White Sox, taking a half game lead over the Twins...for now. Boston was officially eliminated from the Eastern Division "race" and moved to 9.5 behind in the Wild Card Standings.

VS.

Minnesota puts Johan Santana (18-5, 2.77 ERA) on the hill against Josh Beckett (15-10, 5.02 ERA) and Boston at Fenway on Thursday evening. Who's pumped up? This girl.

Batting Title Watch: Joe Mauer went 2 for 5 and finished Wednesday night's game batting .344. Derek Jeter sat during New York's 3-2 loss to Toronto, his average hovering at .339.