AL: MINNESOTA at BOSTON <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MINNESOTA (4) AT BOSTON (6) - EVENT LOG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Minnesota Starting Lineups -- J Bartlett SS, J Tyner LF, J Mauer C, T Hunter CF, J Morneau 1B, M Cuddyer RF, R White DH, B Buscher 3B, L Rodriguez 2B, C Silva RHP. Boston Starting Lineups -- C Crisp CF, A Cora 2B, M Ramirez DH, M Lowell 3B, J Drew RF, K Youkilis 1B, J Ellsbury LF, D Mirabelli C, R Clayton SS, T Wakefield RHP. Umpires -- Bob Davidson (HP), Hunter Wendelstedt (1B), Sam Holbrook (2B), Randy Marsh (3B). Gametime Weather: 70 degrees, Clear, wind in from left at 16 mph. MINNESOTA 1ST: J Bartlett popped out to first. J Tyner flied out to left. J Mauer grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 0, BOSTON 0. BOSTON 1ST: C Crisp grounded out to shortstop. A Cora flied out to left. M Ramirez doubled to left. M Lowell grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 0, BOSTON 0. MINNESOTA 2ND: T Hunter flied out to center. J Morneau grounded out to second. M Cuddyer fouled out to catcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 0, BOSTON 0. BOSTON 2ND: J Drew singled to left. K Youkilis singled to right center, J Drew to second. J Ellsbury grounded out to second, J Drew to third. D Mirabelli flied out to center. R Clayton struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 0, BOSTON 0. MINNESOTA 3RD: R White homered to left. B Buscher flied out to left. L Rodriguez flied out to right. J Bartlett grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 1, BOSTON 0. BOSTON 3RD: C Crisp hit a ground rule double to deep center. A Cora flied out to left. C Crisp stole third. M Ramirez struck out swinging. M Lowell flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 1, BOSTON 0. MINNESOTA 4TH: J Tyner flied out to center. J Mauer homered to right. T Hunter flied out to left. J Morneau grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 2, BOSTON 0. BOSTON 4TH: J Drew tripled to deep center. K Youkilis doubled to deep center, J Drew scored. J Ellsbury reached on infield single to shortstop. D Mirabelli popped out to first. R Clayton grounded into double play, third to second to first, J Ellsbury out at second.(1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 2, BOSTON 1. MINNESOTA 5TH: M Cuddyer singled to left. R White safe at first on throwing error by shortstop R Clayton, M Cuddyer to third. B Buscher singled to left center, M Cuddyer scored, R White to second. L Rodriguez grounded into double play, pitcher to second to first, B Buscher out at second, R White to third. J Bartlett flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Error) MINNESOTA 3, BOSTON 1. BOSTON 5TH: C Crisp flied out to left. A Cora grounded out to shortstop. M Ramirez popped out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 3, BOSTON 1. MINNESOTA 6TH: J Tyner singled to center. J Tyner to second on wild pitch by T Wakefield. J Mauer singled to right, J Tyner scored. T Hunter grounded into double play, third to second to first, J Mauer out at second. J Morneau grounded out to second. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 1. BOSTON 6TH: M Lowell homered to left. J Drew grounded out to pitcher. K Youkilis singled to center. J Ellsbury flied out to left. D Mirabelli struck out looking. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 2. MINNESOTA 7TH: M Cuddyer flied out to left. R White struck out swinging. B Buscher grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 2. BOSTON 7TH: N Blackburn relieved C Silva. R Clayton grounded out to second. C Crisp singled to left. A Cora singled to left, C Crisp to second. M Ramirez struck out swinging. M Lowell singled to center, C Crisp scored, A Cora to third. J Drew homered to right, A Cora and M Lowell scored. K Youkilis flied out to left. (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 6. MINNESOTA 8TH: J Lopez relieved T Wakefield. L Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. J Bartlett grounded out to first. J Tyner grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 6. BOSTON 8TH: J DePaula relieved N Blackburn. J Ellsbury flied out to right. D Mirabelli grounded out to third. R Clayton struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 6. MINNESOTA 9TH: A Cora at shortstop. D Pedroia at second base. H Okajima relieved J Lopez. J Mauer singled to center. L Ford ran for J Mauer. T Hunter singled to left, L Ford to third. J Morneau struck out looking. M Cuddyer grounded into double play, pitcher to second to first, T Hunter out at second.(0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) MINNESOTA 4, BOSTON 6.</div>
Drew's homer leads Red Sox past Twins <h3>BOSTON 6, MINNESOTA 4</h3>By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox still had plenty to playfor Saturday night. And thanks to J.D. Drew, they took a majorstep toward reaching another goal. One day after clinching the American League East title, the RedSox rested starters David Ortiz, Julio Lugo, Jason Varitek andDustin Pedroia but still managed to beat the Minnesota Twins,6-4, at Fenway Park. Drew, much maligned all season for underachieving after signinga five-year, $70 million contract last winter, had three hits,including a go-ahead, three-run homer in the bottom of theseventh. The blast to right capped a four-run rally and lifted the RedSox to their fourth win in the last five games. The Red Sox (96-65) entered the game knowing that they wouldclinch home field advantage throughout the American Leagueplayoffs and World Series with a loss by Cleveland loss laterSaturday in Kansas City. Tim Wakefield (17-12), making his final start before theplayoffs, pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and fourruns, to match his career high of 17 wins set in 1998. Twins starter Carlos Silva, who won his last two starts prior toSaturday, was denied a .500 finish to his season when relieverNick Blackburn (0-2) allowed four runs in the seventh. Silva held Boston to two runs, scattering nine hits, strikingout three and walking none. Mike Lowell also homered for Boston, giving the third baseman ateam-leading 119 RBI. Rondell White, likely playing his last season, homered for theTwins, who fell to 78-83. Javier Lopez turned in a scoreless eighth and Hideki Okajimapitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save.
Drew's homer leads Red Sox past Twins <h3>BOSTON 6, MINNESOTA 4</h3>By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer BOSTON (Ticker) - The Boston Red Sox still had plenty to playfor Saturday night. And thanks to J.D. Drew, they reachedanother goal. One day after clinching the American League East title, the RedSox rested starters David Ortiz, Julio Lugo, Jason Varitek andDustin Pedroia but still managed to beat the Minnesota Twins,6-4, at Fenway Park. Boston clinched home-field advantage throughout the AmericanLeague playoffs and the World Series when the Cleveland Indians(95-66) lost to Kansas City, 4-3, later Saturday night. The Red Sox (96-65) own the tiebreaker because they won theseason series with the Indians, 5-2. Home-field advantage also gave the Red Sox their choice ofstarting postseason play Wednesday or Thursday. They choseWednesday for Game One with an off day on Thursday beforehosting Game Two on Friday at Fenway. Drew, much maligned all season for underachieving after signinga five-year, $70 million contract last winter, had three hits,including a go-ahead, three-run homer in the bottom of theseventh, his 11th of the season. "I think the big key is I've gotten some hits and they've fallenand that's nice when you can kind of get a rhythm going," Drewsaid. "When you hit the ball hard and somebody catches it, andyou don't have anything to show for it, those things tend tochange the way you approach things at the plate." Drew drilled a full-count fastball from reliever Nick Blackburn(0-2) into the Twins bullpen after thinking he had walked on theprior pitch. "It was real nice to see that ball leave the ballpark," Red Soxmanager Terry Francona said. "That 3-1 pitch that he thoughtwas a ball. Rather than (losing) his at-bat or focus, he hitsthe next ball into the bullpen, which turns the game rightaround." Drew also tripled as part of the three-hit night that raised hisaverage to .270. "I was guilty of hitting a lot of balls hard and then going upthere and trying to tinker with my swing to make things fall inbetween or go over their head," Drew said. The blast to right capped a four-run rally and lifted the RedSox to their fourth win in the last five games, giving starterTim Wakefield his first win since Aug. 25. "I thought I had pretty good movement most of the night,"Wakefield said. "Even the two home runs that they hit, I askedDoug (Mirabelli) and he said that they were really good pitches,they just found the barrel." Wakefield (17-12), making his final start before the playoffs,pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and four runs, to matchhis career high of 17 wins set in 1998. "It's very satisfying, considering the month that I've had andthat last start," Wakefield said. "Our guys did a great job.J.D had a tremendous night tonight, hitting that three-run homerto put us ahead after I got taken out of the game after seven.It was huge for us." Twins starter Carlos Silva, who won his last two starts prior toSaturday, was denied a .500 finish to his season when relieverNick Blackburn (0-2) allowed four runs in the seventh. Silva held Boston to two runs, scattering nine hits, strikingout three and walking none. "We had a nice ballgame going, I think, for six innings,"Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Silva pitched real wellfor us, last start of the year, and he's had a heck of a yearfor us. Unfortunately, we couldn't hold it for him. "Our bullpen's a little beat up like most bullpens this time ofthe year. Blackburn, we wanted to get him out there, see if hecould get through after he had a hard time in Detroit." Mike Lowell also homered for Boston, giving the third baseman ateam-leading 119 RBI. Joe Mauer and Rondell White, who is likely playing his lastseason, homered for the Twins, who fell to 78-83. Javier Lopez turned in a scoreless eighth and Hideki Okajimapitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save.
