GAME THREAD: AL: LA ANGELS (56-39) at MINNESOTA (50-46)

Mauer's inside-the-park homer lifts Twins

<h3>MINNESOTA 5, LA ANGELS 2</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Joe Mauer hit a three-runinside-the-park home run in the bottom of the eighth inning tolead the Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 victory over the Los AngelesAngels of Anaheim on Saturday.


After the Angels scored two runs in the top of the eighth inningto tie the score, Minnesota fought back against reliever ScotShields (2-3) in the bottom half.


With runners on the corners and a full count, Mauer hit a deepfly ball to the wall in center field. Gary Matthews Jr. crashedin the wall trying to make the catch, but crumpled to the turfas the ball bounced away, allowing Mauer to race around thebases and score without a throw.


Jason Bartlett hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and ToriiHunter did the same to lead off the seventh, helping Minnesotato its second straight victory and third in a row over LosAngeles.


The Twins will try to sweep the three-game series on Sunday.

Minnesota also got a stellar outing from starter Boof Bonser,who gave up a season-high 12 hits in his only other startagainst the Angels this season.


Bonser had a three-hit shutout through seven innings but failedto get his first win since June 10 against Washington.

The Angels finally got to Bonser in the eighth inning when ChoneFiggins hit a two-out RBI triple past the diving Jason Kubel inleft field.


Orlando Cabrera followed with a single off reliever Pat Neshek -who entered the game with a .131 opponents batting average - toplate Figgins and tie the game at 2-2, keeping Los Angelesstarter Jered Weaver from his third loss in his last fourstarts.


Cabrera was caught stealing to end the inning, allowing Neshek(5-1) to get the win following Mauer's heroics. Joe Nathanworked around a one-out single in the ninth inning for his 20thsave in 22 chances.


The inside-the-park home run was the first of Mauer's career,and the first for the Twins since Hunter accomplished the featon July 26, 2001 at Oakland.


Bonser snapped out of an extended slump, but the righthander isstill 0-4 in his last seven starts and has won just one gamesince the beginning of June. He had allowed at least threeearned runs in eight straight starts with an ERA of 6.08 sincethe end of May entering Saturday's game.


The Twins had few chances against Weaver, but couldn't takeadvantage of two great scoring opportunities.


Justin Morneau led off the second inning with a double andstopped at third base when Hunter followed with a single to leftfield. But with runners on the corners and no one out, Weavermanaged to escape unscathed. He got Kubel to bounce back to themound, struck out designated hitter Garrett Jones and inducedan infield pop-up from right fielder Darnell McDonald.

Jones bounced back from his strikeouts in his next at-bat withone out in the fifth inning, tripling to deep left-center withMatthews playing the lefthander to pull the ball. But McDonaldstruck out looking on four pitches, and Nick Punto fouled offsix pitches before harmlessly grounding out to second base.

The Angels' offense was just as futile against Bonser, as MaicerIzturis was stranded at third base in the third inning afterleading off with a ground-rule double for Los Angeles' bestscoring chance through the first seven innings.


<div class="pre">The only other hit Bonser allowed to the next 11 batters was a</div>high double to Garret Anderson with two outs in the sixth inningthat Hunter lost in the Metrodome roof.


Minnesota finally started the scoring in the sixth, as Bartletthit his third home run this season and second against LosAngeles. It was the first home run allowed by Weaver in 30 2/3innings, a stretch of five starts. Bartlett had not homeredsince June 28 against Toronto.


Hunter led off the seventh inning and hit the first pitch he sawto the seats in left-center, giving the Twins a 2-0 lead.

Weaver lasted seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Heis 0-2 in his last four starts despite a 1.72 ERA in thatstretch.


The Angels are 3-8 in their last 11 road games and have lostfive of their last six games overall.

 

Mauer's inside-the-park homer lifts Twins

<h3>MINNESOTA 5, LA ANGELS 2</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Joe Mauer hit a three-runinside-the-park home run in the bottom of the eighth inning tolead the Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 victory over the Los AngelesAngels of Anaheim on Saturday.


After the Angels scored two runs in the top of the eighth inningto tie the score, Minnesota fought back against reliever ScotShields (2-3) in the bottom half.


With runners on the corners and a full count, Mauer hit a deepfly ball to the wall in center field. Gary Matthews Jr. crashedin the wall trying to make the catch, but crumpled to the turfas the ball bounced away, allowing Mauer to race around thebases and score without a throw.


"When I first hit it, I was hoping it would go over the fence sohe wouldn't have a chance at it," Mauer said. "He had to go along way for it, and I'm glad it did what it did."

Jason Bartlett hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and ToriiHunter did the same to lead off the seventh, helping Minnesotato its second straight victory and third in a row over LosAngeles.


The Twins will try to sweep the three-game series on Sunday.

Minnesota also got a stellar outing from starter Boof Bonser,who gave up a season-high 12 hits in his only other startagainst the Angels this season.


Bonser had a three-hit shutout through seven innings but failedto get his first win since June 10 against Washington.

"That's the best location he's had with the fastball all year,"Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Unfortunately we couldn'thold Bonser's lead. He sure deserved to win, but it's all aboutthe team here."


The Angels finally got to Bonser in the eighth inning when ChoneFiggins hit a two-out RBI triple past the diving Jason Kubel inleft field.


"Not the most advised thing we've ever seen with a 2-0 lead, buthe was trying," Gardenhire said. "That's one of those playswhere you let it drop and keep it where it's at."


Orlando Cabrera followed with a single off reliever Pat Neshek -who entered the game with a .131 opponents batting average - toplate Figgins and tie the game at 2-2, keeping Los Angelesstarter Jered Weaver from his third loss in his last fourstarts.


Cabrera was caught stealing to end the inning, allowing Neshek(5-1) to get the win following Mauer's heroics. Joe Nathanworked around a one-out single in the ninth inning for his 20thsave in 22 chances.


The inside-the-park home run was the first of Mauer's career,and the first for the Twins since Hunter accomplished the featon July 26, 2001 at Oakland.


Shields has allowed five earned runs in his last threeappearances. His ERA has jumped from 1.66 to 2.50 in thatstretch.


"His command wasn't as crisp today," Angels manager MikeScioscia said. "But this guy's been as consistent as anyreliever in baseball this year. You're just not going to get itdone every time out."


Bonser snapped out of an extended slump, but the righthander isstill 0-4 in his last seven starts and has won just one gamesince the beginning of June. He had allowed at least threeearned runs in eight straight starts with an ERA of 6.08 sincethe end of May entering Saturday's game.


"All my pitches were there for me," Bonser said. "I had greatlocation and that's the main thing. I kept the ball down andthat's the name of the game."


The Twins had few chances against Weaver, but couldn't takeadvantage of two great scoring opportunities.


Justin Morneau led off the second inning with a double andstopped at third base when Hunter followed with a single to leftfield. But with runners on the corners and no one out, Weavermanaged to escape unscathed. He got Kubel to bounce back to themound, struck out designated hitter Garrett Jones and inducedan infield pop-up from right fielder Darnell McDonald.

Jones bounced back from his strikeouts in his next at-bat withone out in the fifth inning, tripling to deep left-center withMatthews playing the lefthander to pull the ball. But McDonaldstruck out looking on four pitches, and Nick Punto fouled offsix pitches before harmlessly grounding out to second base.

The Angels' offense was just as futile against Bonser, as MaicerIzturis was stranded at third base in the third inning afterleading off with a ground-rule double for Los Angeles' bestscoring chance through the first seven innings.


<div class="pre">The only other hit Bonser allowed to the next 11 batters was a</div>high double to Garret Anderson with two outs in the sixth inningthat Hunter lost in the Metrodome roof.


Minnesota finally started the scoring in the sixth, as Bartletthit his third home run this season and second against LosAngeles. It was the first home run allowed by Weaver in 30 2/3innings, a stretch of five starts. Bartlett had not homeredsince June 28 against Toronto.


Hunter led off the seventh inning and hit the first pitch he sawto the seats in left-center, giving the Twins a 2-0 lead.

Weaver lasted seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Heis 0-2 in his last four starts despite a 1.72 ERA in thatstretch.


"Its just a little bad luck. Things haven't gone my way, butI'm not going to get frustrated about it," Weaver said. "I'mjust going to go out and pitch my game and one of these dayswe'll snap out of it and get a good run going like we had in thefirst half."


The Angels are 3-8 in their last 11 road games and have lostfive of their last six games overall.