AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">TORONTO (5) VS MINNESOTA (8) - FINAL TORONTO ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Rios rf 4 1 1 0 0 2 1 .288 H Clark 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .308 V Wells cf 3 2 1 0 1 1 0 .251 M Stairs 1b 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .292 F Thomas dh 4 1 2 4 0 2 1 .242 A Hill 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 .272 A Lind lf 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 .227 J Phillips c 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .212 J McDonald ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .285 Totals 32 5 6 5 2 8 8 BATTING: 2B - F Thomas (10, C Silva). HR - F Thomas (13, 1st inning off C Silva 2 on, 1 Out). RBI - M Stairs (29), F Thomas 4 (38). 2-out RBI - F Thomas. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - A Hill 1. GIDP - A Hill. Team LOB - 2. FIELDING: E - J McDonald (3, throw); M Stairs (4, throw). PB - J Phillips. DP: 2 (H Clark-A Hill, H Clark-A Hill-M Stairs). MINNESOTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Tyner rf 4 2 3 1 0 0 1 .291 J Bartlett ss 3 2 2 1 0 0 2 .258 J Mauer c 4 0 0 1 0 1 5 .303 M Cuddyer 1b 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 .290 J Morneau dh 3 0 0 1 1 2 2 .275 T Hunter cf 4 2 2 3 0 0 3 .306 J Kubel lf 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 .248 L Rodriguez 3b 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 .169 N Punto 2b 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 .215 Totals 32 8 8 8 3 7 14 BATTING: HR - J Bartlett (2, 3rd inning off A Burnett 0 on, 0 Out), T Hunter 2 (17, 4th inning off A Burnett 0 on, 0 Out, 5th inning off J Frasor 1 on, 2 Out). RBI - M Cuddyer (46), J Bartlett (20), T Hunter 3 (62), J Mauer (26), J Morneau (58), J Tyner (14). 2-out RBI - T Hunter 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - T Hunter 1, J Mauer 1. GIDP - J Bartlett, T Hunter. Team LOB - 4. BASERUNNING: SB - J Bartlett 2 (15, 2nd base off J Frasor/J Phillips, 2nd base off J DeJong/J Phillips), L Rodriguez (1, 2nd base off J DeJong/J Phillips). FIELDING: DP: 1 (L Rodriguez-N Punto-M Cuddyer). ---------------------------------------------------- TORONTO - 401 000 000 -- 5 MINNESOTA - 101 141 00x -- 8 ---------------------------------------------------- TORONTO ip h r er bb so hr era A Burnett 4 6 5 5 0 6 2 4.31 J Frasor (L, 1-3) 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 3.34 J DeJong 3 1 1 0 2 1 0 6.14 MINNESOTA ip h r er bb so hr era C Silva (W, 6-8) 7 6 5 5 2 5 1 4.15 J Rincon (H, 8) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.08 J Nathan (S, 15) 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 2.36 A Burnett pitched to 2 batters in the 5th. HBP - J Bartlett (by A Burnett). Pitches-strikes: A Burnett 75-48; J Frasor 20-9; J DeJong 45-25; C Silva 104-65; J Rincon 14-8; J Nathan 14-9. Ground balls-fly balls: A Burnett 2-4; J Frasor 3-0; J DeJong 5-4; C Silva 7-9; J Rincon 2-0; J Nathan 0-1. Batters faced: A Burnett 20; J Frasor 5; J DeJong 11; C Silva 28; J Rincon 3; J Nathan 3. UMPIRES: HP--Mark Wegner. 1B--Bruce Froemming. 2B--Mike Winters. 3B--Brian Runge. EJECTIONS: TORONTO's Thomas by Wegner (9th), TORONTO's Gibbons by Wegner (9th). T--2:35. Att--31,038. Weather: INDOORS</div>
AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO (5) AT MINNESOTA (8) - HOW THEY SCORED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO 1ST: A Rios singled to right. H Clark flied out to left. V Wells walked, A Rios to second. M Stairs singled to center, A Rios scored, V Wells to second. F Thomas homered to left, V Wells and M Stairs scored. A Hill grounded out to shortstop. A Lind lined out to right. (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 0. MINNESOTA 1ST: J Tyner reached on infield single to shortstop. J Bartlett hit by pitch, J Tyner to second. J Mauer struck out swinging. M Cuddyer singled to center, J Tyner scored, J Bartlett to second. J Morneau struck out swinging. T Hunter grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 1. TORONTO 3RD: H Clark flied out to left. V Wells singled to left center. M Stairs struck out swinging. F Thomas doubled to deep center, V Wells scored. A Hill struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 1. MINNESOTA 3RD: J Bartlett homered to left. J Mauer grounded out to second. M Cuddyer struck out swinging. J Morneau struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 2. MINNESOTA 4TH: T Hunter homered to center. J Kubel fouled out to left. L Rodriguez flied out to left. N Punto flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 3. MINNESOTA 5TH: J Tyner singled to center. J Bartlett singled to right, J Tyner to third. J Frasor relieved A Burnett. J Bartlett stole second. J Mauer grounded out to first, J Tyner scored, J Bartlett to third. M Cuddyer walked. J Morneau grounded out to second, J Bartlett scored, M Cuddyer to second. T Hunter homered to left, M Cuddyer scored. J Kubel grounded out to first. (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 7. MINNESOTA 6TH: J DeJong relieved J Frasor. L Rodriguez safe at first on throwing error by first baseman M Stairs. L Rodriguez stole second. L Rodriguez to third on passed ball by J Phillips. N Punto walked. J Tyner singled to center, L Rodriguez scored, N Punto to second. J Bartlett grounded into double play, third to second, N Punto out at third, J Tyner out at second, J Bartlett to first. J Bartlett stole second. J Mauer flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8.</div>
AL: TORONTO at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TORONTO (5) AT MINNESOTA (8) - EVENT LOG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Toronto Starting Lineups -- A Rios RF, H Clark 3B, V Wells CF, M Stairs 1B, F Thomas DH, A Hill 2B, A Lind LF, J Phillips C, J McDonald SS, A Burnett RHP. Minnesota Starting Lineups -- J Tyner RF, J Bartlett SS, J Mauer C, M Cuddyer 1B, J Morneau DH, T Hunter CF, J Kubel LF, L Rodriguez 3B, N Punto 2B, C Silva RHP. Umpires -- Mark Wegner (HP), Bruce Froemming (1B), Mike Winters (2B), Brian Runge (3B). Gametime Weather: INDOORS. TORONTO 1ST: A Rios singled to right. H Clark flied out to left. V Wells walked, A Rios to second. M Stairs singled to center, A Rios scored, V Wells to second. F Thomas homered to left, V Wells and M Stairs scored. A Hill grounded out to shortstop. A Lind lined out to right. (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 0. MINNESOTA 1ST: J Tyner reached on infield single to shortstop. J Bartlett hit by pitch, J Tyner to second. J Mauer struck out swinging. M Cuddyer singled to center, J Tyner scored, J Bartlett to second. J Morneau struck out swinging. T Hunter grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 1. TORONTO 2ND: J Phillips grounded out to third. J McDonald grounded out to first. A Rios flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 1. MINNESOTA 2ND: J Kubel struck out swinging. L Rodriguez safe at first on throwing error by shortstop J McDonald. N Punto struck out swinging. J Tyner flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) TORONTO 4, MINNESOTA 1. TORONTO 3RD: H Clark flied out to left. V Wells singled to left center. M Stairs struck out swinging. F Thomas doubled to deep center, V Wells scored. A Hill struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 1. MINNESOTA 3RD: J Bartlett homered to left. J Mauer grounded out to second. M Cuddyer struck out swinging. J Morneau struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 2. TORONTO 4TH: A Lind popped out to shortstop. J Phillips flied out to right. J McDonald flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 2. MINNESOTA 4TH: T Hunter homered to center. J Kubel fouled out to left. L Rodriguez flied out to left. N Punto flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 3. TORONTO 5TH: A Rios struck out looking. H Clark grounded out to second. V Wells flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 3. MINNESOTA 5TH: J Tyner singled to center. J Bartlett singled to right, J Tyner to third. J Frasor relieved A Burnett. J Bartlett stole second. J Mauer grounded out to first, J Tyner scored, J Bartlett to third. M Cuddyer walked. J Morneau grounded out to second, J Bartlett scored, M Cuddyer to second. T Hunter homered to left, M Cuddyer scored. J Kubel grounded out to first. (4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 7. TORONTO 6TH: M Stairs singled to left center. F Thomas struck out looking. A Hill grounded into double play, third to second to first, M Stairs out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 7. MINNESOTA 6TH: J DeJong relieved J Frasor. L Rodriguez safe at first on throwing error by first baseman M Stairs. L Rodriguez stole second. L Rodriguez to third on passed ball by J Phillips. N Punto walked. J Tyner singled to center, L Rodriguez scored, N Punto to second. J Bartlett grounded into double play, third to second, N Punto out at third, J Tyner out at second, J Bartlett to first. J Bartlett stole second. J Mauer flied out to left. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8. TORONTO 7TH: A Lind walked. J Phillips popped out to third. J McDonald grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, A Lind out at second. A Rios struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8. MINNESOTA 7TH: M Cuddyer struck out swinging. J Morneau walked. T Hunter grounded into double play, third to second to first, J Morneau out at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8. TORONTO 8TH: J Rincon relieved C Silva. H Clark grounded out to shortstop. V Wells struck out looking. M Stairs grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8. MINNESOTA 8TH: J Kubel flied out to center. L Rodriguez flied out to center. N Punto popped out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8. TORONTO 9TH: J Nathan relieved J Rincon. F Thomas struck out looking. Toronto's F Thomas and Manager J Gibbons ejected by M Wegner. A Hill lined out to center. A Lind struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 5, MINNESOTA 8.</div>
Twins' Hunter spoils 500th career homer by Thomas <h3>MINNESOTA 8, TORONTO 5</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Frank Thomas got his milestone homerun, but the Minnesota Twins' Torii Hunter provided a littlepower of his own. Hunter hit two home runs and Carlos Silva overcame a toughbeginning to pitch seven innings as Minnesota beat the TorontoBlue Jays, 8-5, to earn the split in the four-game series at theMetrodome. Thomas connected on a 1-2 pitch for his 500th home run during afour-run first innings, a 396-foot three-run blast to leftcenter field. However, Hunter would steal a little bit of Thomas' thunder inthis one, as he hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and addeda two-run shot an inning later, snapping a 5-5 tie. Toronto jumped on Silva (6-8) at the start. Alex Rios started the game with a single to right field, went tosecond on a walk by Vernon Wells and scored on Matt Stairs'single up the middle. Thomas followed with his memorable homerun for a 4-0 lead. The 39-year-old designated hitter became the 21st player inhistory to reach the coveted mark, and the first since KenGriffey Jr. in 2004. From there, Silva would settle down. He finished with five runsand six hits allowed in winning for the third time in fourstarts. He also struck out four before yielding to righthanderJuan Rincon, who pitched a scoreless eighth. Closer Joe Nathanfanned two batters in the ninth to record his 15th save. Nathan fanned Thomas looking to begin the inning. The formertwo-time American League MVP was not happy with the call,eventually getting ejected from the game by home plate umpireMark Wegner after arguing from the dugout. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was also tossed after coming tothe plate in defense of his player. Despite the early deficit, Minnesota would peck away againstToronto starter A.J. Burnett. Jason Tyner opened the bottom of the first with a single, andlater scored on a single by Michael Cuddyer. Jason Bartlett hita leadoff home run in the third, and Hunter would add his firststarting off the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-3. Burnett, making his first start since being activated from the15-day disabled list with a shoulder strain, allowed five runsand six hits while striking out six. He left the game afterallowing two straight singles to Tyner and Bartlett leading offthe fifth inning. Jason Frasor (1-3) would allow both of those inherited runnersto score on a pair of groundouts by Joe Mauer and JustinMorneau. Hunter then followed with his second home run to breakthe brief tie. It was the eighth multi-homer game of Hunter's career, and thefirst since May 13 against Detroit. Frasor gave up two runs, one hit and a walk in his only inningof work. Toronto entered the game having won five of its last six games.
Twins' Hunter spoils 500th career homer by Thomas <h3>MINNESOTA 8, TORONTO 5</h3>MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Frank Thomas got his milestone homerun, but the Minnesota Twins' Torii Hunter provided a littlepower of his own. Hunter hit two home runs and Carlos Silva overcame a toughbeginning to pitch seven innings as Minnesota beat the TorontoBlue Jays, 8-5, to earn the split in the four-game series at theMetrodome. Thomas connected on a 1-2 pitch for his 500th home run during afour-run first innings, a 396-foot three-run blast to leftcenter field. However, Hunter would steal a little bit of Thomas' thunder inthis one, as he hit a solo homer in the fourth inning and addeda two-run shot an inning later, snapping a 5-5 tie. "You can't upstage a 500 home run guy," Hunter said. "I wouldbe happy if I just got to 300." Toronto jumped on Silva (6-8) at the start. Alex Rios started the game with a single to right field, went tosecond on a walk by Vernon Wells and scored on Matt Stairs'single up the middle. Thomas followed with his memorable homerun for a 4-0 lead. "I can tell you, it means a lot to me," Thomas said. "I knowwhat it takes to get to 500 home runs. It was a lot of work." The 39-year-old designated hitter became the 21st player inhistory to reach the coveted mark, and the first since KenGriffey Jr. in 2004. From there, Silva would settle down. He finished with five runsand six hits allowed in winning for the third time in fourstarts. "It was very tough to open the game like that," Silva said. "Iwas pitching around too much, like I didn't want to throwanything right over the plate. After the third inning is when Istarted throwing, made the hitters hit the ball." The sinkerballer also struck out four before yielding torighthander Juan Rincon, who pitched a scoreless eighth. "Carlos was really the story here," Twins manager Ron Gardenhiresaid. "He gave up some runs early, but we needed him to godeep into the game. He really pitched well as the game wentalong and gave us a chance to get back in the game." Closer Joe Nathan fanned two batters in the ninth to record his15th save. Nathan fanned Thomas looking to begin the inning. The formertwo-time American League MVP was not happy with the call,eventually getting ejected from the game by home plate umpireMark Wegner after arguing from the dugout. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was also tossed after coming tothe plate in defense of his player. "I think you can see that I still care," Thomas said. "The gamewasn't over in my opinion and I am up there to battle. I amprobably the first one to get 500 home runs and get thrown outof the ballgame." Despite the early deficit, Minnesota would peck away againstToronto starter A.J. Burnett. Jason Tyner opened the bottom of the first with a single, andlater scored on a single by Michael Cuddyer. Jason Bartlett hita leadoff home run in the third, and Hunter would add his firststarting off the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-3. "You can't give up," Hunter said. "You're just going to go outthere and keep banging, keep doing what you are doing and if itdoesn't work out, fine. It worked out for us today." Burnett, making his first start since being activated from the15-day disabled list with a shoulder strain, allowed five runsand six hits while striking out six. He left the game afterallowing two straight singles to Tyner and Bartlett leading offthe fifth inning. Jason Frasor (1-3) would allow both of those inherited runnersto score on a pair of groundouts by Joe Mauer and JustinMorneau. Hunter then followed with his second home run to breakthe brief tie. It was the eighth multi-homer game of Hunter's career, and thefirst since May 13 against Detroit. Frasor gave up two runs, one hit and a walk in his only inningof work. "We had a 5-1 lead, but about the third inning, I started havinga bad feeling about it," Gibbons said. "And, then they took itto us late. Burnett wasn't real sharp." Toronto entered the game having won five of its last six games.
