GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: TORONTO (38-37) at MINNESOTA (38-36)

Cirillo's walk-off single lifts Twins

<h3>MINNESOTA 2, TORONTO 1 (12 INNINGS)</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Jeff Cirillo made the Toronto BlueJays' strategy backfire.

Cirillo delivered a walk-off single with two outs in the 12thinning to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 2-1 victory over theBlue Jays.

After Toronto intentionally walked Mike Redmond to load thebases, Cirillo came up as a pinch hitter and blooped a singleoff Brian Tallet (2-2) just under the dive of Blue Jays centerfielder Vernon Wells to plate Michael Cuddyer with the winningrun.

It was the seventh career walk-off hit for Cirillo and firstsince September 21, 2005, denying Toronto's bid for aseason-high five-game winning streak.

Juan Rincon (3-1) picked up the victory with one inning ofscoreless relief, capping a brilliant effort by the Twins'pitching staff.

After starter Scott Baker worked seven-plus innings, fourrelievers combined on five innings of hitless relief. PatNeshek and closer Joe Nathan went two innings apiece, strikingout three each.

Neither team scored until the bottom of the seventh inning asBaker and Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum hooked up in a stirringduel.

Baker had his best outing since May 19 - his first start of theseason. He struck out a career-best nine batters in seven-plusinnings, allowing a season-low one earned run and four hits.

Baker retired the first nine batters he faced and allowed justone hit through five innings.

Wells led off the fourth inning with a ground-rule double butwas stranded there after Baker induced a popout before strikingout Matt Stairs and Troy Glaus.

Baker fanned four straight during his first time through theorder, and retired Glaus, Stairs and Greg Zaun on strikes twiceeach.

Marcum was nearly as sharp, continuing his stretch of solidoutings since moving into the starting rotation. Marcum retiredseven straight Twins before allowing a one-out double to JasonTyner in the third inning.

Joe Mauer reached second on an infield single and moved up abase on second baseman Aaron Hill's throwing in the fourthframe, but was stranded in scoring position.

Marcum retired six straight following Mauer's hit, but LuisCastillo flared a one-out single to right field, only to beretired on Jason Bartlett's double-play ball back to the moundon a hit-and-run play.

Adam Lind singled off Baker to start the sixth inning, moved tosecond on John McDonald's sacrifice bunt and advanced to thirdon Wells' fly out to right field, but Baker got Alex Rios tobounce out to end the threat.

Glaus added a one-out single in the seventh, but was erased on aFrank Thomas double-play grounder.

It was another step in the right direction for Baker, whoallowed two runs in five innings against the Mets in hisprevious start after having allowed 17 earned runs in only 131/3 innings over his three previous outings.

The Twins then put together their seventh-inning rally, whichstarted with Cuddyer's one-out walk and a single by ToriiHunter. Jason Kubel then doubled down the right-field line,scoring Cuddyer to snap the scoreless tie.

The Twins could have done more damage had not Hunter been thrownout at home on a double play. Redmond flew out to Rios inshallow right field with one out and Hunter broke for home. Thethrow was up the third base line, but Zaun swiped at Hunter andreplays show he grazed Hunter's hip for the out.

Hunter argued the call, as did manager Ron Gardenhire, who waseventually ejected for the fourth time this season and 32nd timein his career.

Toronto fought back in the eighth inning. Zaun walked on ninepitches and Hill singled, ending Baker's night. Lind sacrificedboth runners into scoring position off Dennys Reyes.

The Twins then brought in Neshek, who gave up a deep fly ball topinch hitter Howie Clark for a sacrifice fly. Wells had achance to give the Blue Jays the lead in his next at-bat butflied out to deep center field, stranding Hill at third.

 

AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
AL
TORONTO 1
MINNESOTA 2 FINAL</div>

 

AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO (1) AT MINNESOTA (2) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MINNESOTA 7TH: J Mauer grounded out to first. M Cuddyer walked. T Hunter
singled to left, M Cuddyer to second. J Kubel doubled to right, M Cuddyer
scored, T Hunter to third. M Redmond flied out to right, T Hunter thrown out
at home. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 8TH: Minnesota's Manager R Gardenhire ejected by M Winters in the
8th. G Zaun walked. A Hill singled to left, G Zaun to second. D Reyes
relieved S Baker. A Lind sacrificed to first, G Zaun to third, A Hill to
second. P Neshek relieved D Reyes. H Clark hit for J McDonald. H Clark hit
sacrifice fly to right, G Zaun scored, A Hill to third. V Wells flied out to
center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 12TH: B Tallet relieved J Frasor. J Mauer grounded out to first.
M Cuddyer singled to center. T Hunter popped out to second. L Ford singled to
left, M Cuddyer to third. L Ford to second on fielder's indifference.
M Redmond intentionally walked. J Cirillo hit for J Tyner. J Cirillo singled to
second, M Cuddyer scored. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 2.</div>

 

AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO (1) AT MINNESOTA (2) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MINNESOTA 7TH: J Mauer grounded out to first. M Cuddyer walked. T Hunter
singled to left, M Cuddyer to second. J Kubel doubled to right, M Cuddyer
scored, T Hunter to third. M Redmond flied out to right, T Hunter thrown out
at home. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 8TH: Minnesota's Manager R Gardenhire ejected by M Winters.
G Zaun walked. A Hill singled to left, G Zaun to second. D Reyes
relieved S Baker. A Lind sacrificed to first, G Zaun to third, A Hill to
second. P Neshek relieved D Reyes. H Clark hit for J McDonald. H Clark hit
sacrifice fly to right, G Zaun scored, A Hill to third. V Wells flied out to
center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 12TH: B Tallet relieved J Frasor. J Mauer grounded out to first.
M Cuddyer singled to center. T Hunter popped out to second. L Ford singled to
left, M Cuddyer to third. L Ford to second on fielder's indifference.
M Redmond intentionally walked. J Cirillo hit for J Tyner. J Cirillo singled to
second, M Cuddyer scored. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 2.</div>

 

AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO (1) AT MINNESOTA (2) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toronto Starting Lineups -- V Wells CF, A Rios RF, M Stairs 1B, T Glaus 3B,
F Thomas DH, G Zaun C, A Hill 2B, A Lind LF, J McDonald SS, S Marcum RHP.

Minnesota Starting Lineups -- L Castillo 2B, J Bartlett SS, J Mauer C,
M Cuddyer 1B, T Hunter CF, J Kubel LF, M Redmond DH, J Tyner RF, N Punto 3B,
S Baker RHP.

Umpires -- Mike Winters (HP), Brian Runge (1B), Mark Wegner (2B),
Bruce Froemming (3B).

Gametime Weather: INDOORS.


TORONTO 1ST: V Wells flied out to right. A Rios grounded out to shortstop.
M Stairs struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 1ST: L Castillo bunt grounded out to pitcher. J Bartlett bunt
grounded out to pitcher. J Mauer flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 2ND: T Glaus struck out looking. F Thomas struck out looking.
G Zaun struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 2ND: M Cuddyer flied out to center. T Hunter lined out to
center. J Kubel popped out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0,
MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 3RD: A Hill lined out to right. A Lind struck out swinging.
J McDonald grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0,
MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 3RD: M Redmond flied out to center. J Tyner doubled to deep
right. N Punto grounded out to shortstop, J Tyner to third. L Castillo
grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 4TH: V Wells hit a ground rule double to deep left center. A Rios
popped out to shortstop. M Stairs struck out swinging. T Glaus struck out
swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 4TH: J Bartlett grounded out to shortstop. J Mauer reached on
infield single to second, J Mauer to second on throwing error by second baseman
A Hill. M Cuddyer flied out to right. T Hunter lined out to third. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 1 Error) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 5TH: F Thomas grounded out to third. G Zaun struck out looking.
A Hill struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 5TH: J Kubel flied out to left. M Redmond flied out to center.
J Tyner struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 6TH: A Lind singled to right. J McDonald sacrificed to first,
A Lind to second. V Wells flied out to right, A Lind to third. A Rios grounded
out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 6TH: N Punto flied out to left. L Castillo singled to right
center. J Bartlett grounded into double play, pitcher to second to first,
L Castillo out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

TORONTO 7TH: M Stairs flied out to center. T Glaus singled to left.
F Thomas grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, T Glaus out at
second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 0.

MINNESOTA 7TH: J Mauer grounded out to first. M Cuddyer walked. T Hunter
singled to left, M Cuddyer to second. J Kubel doubled to right, M Cuddyer
scored, T Hunter to third. M Redmond flied out to right, T Hunter thrown out
at home. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 8TH: Minnesota's Manager R Gardenhire ejected by M Winters.
G Zaun walked. A Hill singled to left, G Zaun to second. D Reyes
relieved S Baker. A Lind sacrificed to first, G Zaun to third, A Hill to
second. P Neshek relieved D Reyes. H Clark hit for J McDonald. H Clark hit
sacrifice fly to right, G Zaun scored, A Hill to third. V Wells flied out to
center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 8TH: R Clayton at shortstop. J Tyner struck out looking. N Punto
grounded out to first. L Castillo grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 9TH: A Rios struck out swinging. M Stairs struck out swinging.
T Glaus struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 9TH: J Bartlett singled to center. S Downs relieved S Marcum.
J Mauer flied out to left. C Janssen relieved S Downs. M Cuddyer grounded into
double play, second to shortstop to first, J Bartlett out at second.(0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 10TH: J Nathan relieved P Neshek. F Thomas struck out swinging.
G Zaun struck out looking. A Hill flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 10TH: J Frasor relieved C Janssen. T Hunter flied out to right.
J Kubel walked. L Ford ran for J Kubel. M Redmond grounded out to first,
L Ford to second. J Tyner grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 11TH: L Ford in left field. A Lind popped out to shortstop.
R Clayton flied out to center. V Wells struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 11TH: N Punto grounded out to first. L Castillo struck out
swinging. J Bartlett grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

TORONTO 12TH: J Rincon relieved J Nathan. A Rios grounded out to second.
M Stairs popped out to shortstop. T Glaus grounded out to third. (0 Runs,
0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 1.

MINNESOTA 12TH: B Tallet relieved J Frasor. J Mauer grounded out to first.
M Cuddyer singled to center. T Hunter popped out to second. L Ford singled to
left, M Cuddyer to third. L Ford to second on fielder's indifference.
M Redmond intentionally walked. J Cirillo hit for J Tyner. J Cirillo singled to
second, M Cuddyer scored. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, MINNESOTA 2.</div>

 

Cirillo's walk-off single lifts Twins

<h3>MINNESOTA 2, TORONTO 1 (12 INNINGS)</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- His aching knees kept him from leapingin celebration and he even felt a little guilty that his bloophit landed safely, but Jeff Cirillo was happy to send theMinnesota Twins home with a victory nonetheless.

Pinch hitting with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12thinning, Cirillo lofted a single to center field that landed infront of a diving Vernon Wells to give the Twins a dramatic 2-1victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Cirillo, who was given the day off because of aching knees afterstarting three straight at first base, helped Minnesota eventhe four-game series at one apiece and was glad to help out notonly his teammates, but everyone at the ballpark who endured alate evening.

"It was fun," Cirillo said. "It's one of those games, a game<div class="pre">everyone obviously not the Blue Jays but the media, TV,</div>everyone who works in the stadium, just wants to go home. Sothere were definitely a lot of people who were happy the ballfell."

After Minnesota and Toronto traded runs in the bottom of theseventh and top of the eighth, both teams went scoreless forfour innings before the Twins got to left-handed reliever BrianTallet (2-2).

Michael Cuddyer hit a one-out single to start the winning rallyand Lew Ford singled with two outs to move Cuddyer to thirdbase. The Blue Jays let Ford take off for second base without athrow and intentionally walked Mike Redmond to load the bases.

Cirillo, who has gotten regular playing time since JustinMorneau bruised his lung on Friday, came up for Jason Tyner toface the Toronto lefthander.

"He's supposed to hit lefties," manager Ron Gardenhire said ofCirillo. "He's struggling with his legs; that's not easy to sitfor 12 innings and come up and put a swing on the ball and flipit out there. We needed that."

It was the seventh career walk-off hit for Cirillo and firstsince September 21, 2005, denying Toronto's bid for aseason-high five-game winning streak.

Juan Rincon (3-1) picked up the victory with one inning ofscoreless relief, capping a brilliant effort by the Twins'pitching staff.

After starter Scott Baker worked seven-plus innings, fourrelievers combined on five innings of hitless relief. PatNeshek and closer Joe Nathan went two innings apiece, strikingout three each.

Neither team scored until the bottom of the seventh inning asBaker and Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum hooked up in a stirringduel.

Baker had his best outing since May 19 - his first start of theseason. He struck out a career-best nine batters in seven-plusinnings, allowing a season-low one earned run and four hits.

"I think my stuff was basically the same, it was just betterlocation with pitches," Baker said. "With two strikes, youcan't sit there and throw a pitch that is technically a strike.It has to be down in the zone or down and in. I just made goodstrikeout pitches."

Baker retired the first nine batters he faced and allowed justone hit through five innings.

Wells led off the fourth inning with a ground-rule double butwas stranded there after Baker induced a popout before strikingout Matt Stairs and Troy Glaus.

Baker fanned four straight during his first time through theorder, and retired Glaus, Stairs and Gregg Zaun on strikes twiceeach.

Marcum was nearly as sharp, continuing his stretch of solidoutings since moving into the starting rotation. Marcum retiredseven straight Twins before allowing a one-out double to JasonTyner in the third inning.

Joe Mauer reached second on an infield single and moved up abase on second baseman Aaron Hill's throwing in the fourthframe, but was stranded in scoring position.

Marcum retired six straight following Mauer's hit, but LuisCastillo flared a one-out single to right field, only to beretired on Jason Bartlett's double-play ball back to the moundon a hit-and-run play.

"He's turned into a heck of a pitcher, and look at the couple ofdefensive plays he made," manager John Gibbons said. "Everypitcher that went out there on both sides was very goodtonight."

Adam Lind singled off Baker to start the sixth inning, moved tosecond on John McDonald's sacrifice bunt and advanced to thirdon Wells' fly out to right field, but Baker got Alex Rios tobounce out to end the threat.

Glaus added a one-out single in the seventh, but was erased on aFrank Thomas double-play grounder.

It was another step in the right direction for Baker, whoallowed two runs in five innings against the Mets in hisprevious start after having allowed 17 earned runs in only 131/3 innings over his three previous outings.

The Twins then put together their seventh-inning rally, whichstarted with Cuddyer's one-out walk and a single by ToriiHunter. Jason Kubel then doubled down the right-field line,scoring Cuddyer to snap the scoreless tie.

The Twins could have done more damage had not Hunter been thrownout at home on a double play. Redmond flew out to Rios inshallow right field with one out and Hunter broke for home. Thethrow was up the third base line, but Zaun swiped at Hunter andreplays show he grazed Hunter's hip for the out.

Hunter argued the call, as did Gardenhire, who was eventuallyejected for the fourth time this season and 32nd time in hiscareer.

Toronto fought back in the eighth inning. Zaun walked on ninepitches and Hill singled, ending Baker's night. Lind sacrificedboth runners into scoring position off Dennys Reyes.

The Twins then brought in Neshek, who gave up a deep fly ball topinch hitter Howie Clark for a sacrifice fly. Wells had achance to give the Blue Jays the lead in his next at-bat butflied out to deep center field, stranding Hill at third.

Marcum and relievers Scott Downs, Casey Janssen and Jason Frasorthen held Minnesota scoreless before Cirillo's heroics againstTallet.

"I'm sure I've lined out to end games with the game on theline," Cirillo said. "Every hit counts. You're celebrating ahit and it's a bloop hit, and you're like, whatever, all right.Let's jump up and down and go home."